Ouroboros
by calladragon
Summary: This is an "On the Lam" story as requested by a friend. What happens when Lisbon and Jane are forced to hit the road not due to anything Jane has done, but Lisbon. How does Red John fit into the plot? Will they stay ahead of the law and exactly what will happen between them? You'll have to read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer for entire story: I do not own any part of The Mentalist as Bruno Heller does. No copyright infringements are intended and I do not receive any compensation for this story. Only reviews which are greatly appreciated.

I have been known to take requests and, since "on the lam" stories aren't anything I'd ever conceive of much less contemplate writing on my own, the concept and nudging belong to UnhealthyViewingHabits. The story, however it ends up for the good or bad, is my own.

I am still working on correcting the errors that take me forever to see.~Calla

#

"Jane." Jane wondered briefly what his old friend was doing interrupting his brainstorming session as he looked up from the file he was studying.

Now that they'd gotten Lorelei back from the FBI, the woman was singing like a canary. Well, a drunken canary as what she was giving them was more pieces to the puzzle than actual linear clues leading to his royal bloodiness. Once he figured out exactly what those pieces meant and how they fit into the bigger picture, Red John was toast. It was simply taking a while to get the job done. Hopefully, they'd manage to keep the golden goose around a while longer. If they didn't, Jane was sure he had enough to get him closer to the serial killer than he'd ever been. While it wasn't enough, it was a comfortable place to start.

It was also obvious Red John hadn't meant things to work out the way they had. Their getting Lorelei back from the Feebs wasn't part of the plan. Jane was under no illusion that most of the information she'd fed him was anything but what her master wanted him to have. However, that being said, Lorelei had had a change of heart recently and given him information of more value. She'd not turned on Red John. Not in any way. She'd simply been human and let slip things she'd not meant to. Jane tended to have that affect on people, even Red John's disciples.

Setting his file aside, Jane turned his attention to the man standing so impatiently before him. To anyone else, he appeared as inscrutable as ever. To Jane, he was an open book. That there was something on Cho's mind concerning him greatly was broadcasting loud and clear. Jane knew the only something causing that barely perceptible tick in the Korean Agent's jaw now that Summer was out of his life was his boss. As reluctant as he was to admit it, Jane wasn't all that comfortable with that idea. Not that he thought Cho had a thing for Lisbon; he didn't. At least he didn't think he did. Then again, it was Cho. Who really knew with him? Moving on, Jane simply didn't like another man feeling the need to protect Lisbon outside of the field. That was his responsibility and had been for years. He'd done a fairly good job if he said so himself.

"What's up, Cho?" Jane asked. "You need to talk to me?"

"Yeah." Jane briefly wondered why he still expected the Agent to elaborate when that wasn't his style.

"I'm all ears." Jane returned the file to the box at his feet.

"Not here. I'll meet you on the roof in ten." Cho obviously meant exactly ten from the way he was looking at his watch. Jane nearly smirked realizing the stuffed shirt little penguin meant to time him. Oh, well, he still had long enough to make a cup of tea and get to their date without being late.

"Fine, Cho. I'm to assume it's not my ears you're worried about." Jane quirked a brow and smirked as Cho rolled his eyes at him in frustration.

"You're down to nine, Jane." Cho silently tapped his watch pointedly.

Rolling his eyes again, Cho turned around and headed for the stairs. He was so done with Little Jane Games. He wouldn't mind ordering one of those killer hot dogs Rigsby was always woofing down. The ones loaded with all the chili, cheese, and slaw. Or maybe he'd have Kraut instead. Yeah, that sounded good. He better get one for Jane. And a couple of orders of crispy fries. It wouldn't hurt to thoroughly bribe the monster since he was asking for a really big favor. Walking over to the counter, Cho placed his order and pulled out his wallet. Hauling his take over to the small round table by the banister he glanced at his watch and started counting down. Jane had all of twenty seconds….

"Okay, My Man Cho, what do you feel is so urgent you had to interrupt my work?" Not that he minded all that much since he'd been spinning his wheels not really getting anywhere.

"Lisbon. She's getting too much like you." Cho said without preamble.

"And that's bad how?" Jane asked accepting the dog Cho offered.

Glancing at Cho's quarter eaten hot dog, he noted they were basically the same except the other Agent's was loaded with homemade Sauerkraut reeking pungently while his was loaded with a sweeter smelling tangy coleslaw. Somehow Jane thought he got the better end of the deal. Taking a bite, knew he was. Swiping a fry, he decided he was in gastronimical heaven. There was something to be said for greasy cop food.

"Minelli's going to bust her chops before she's done." Cho took a sip of his soda.

"In what way?" Jane asked. He'd been much too busy piecing together the leads Lorelei was giving him the last few days to pay all that much attention to Lisbon's personal vendetta with the rich Spook.

"Lisbon's out of control." Cho said as though that said everything.

"What do you mean out of control?" Jane asked again.

"She's acting like you, Jane. She's allowing her personal vendetta to get in the way of her common sense. She's following Rafferty where she shouldn't and popping up all over the place. What's even worse, he knows she's there. If she keeps it up, Lisbon's going to have as many complaints in her file as you do and Minelli's not going to be able to keep them out." Cho pierced Jane with an accusing glare.

"What's your point, Cho?" Jane asked as though he needed to be told.

"She's not just bending the law she's damned near breaking it. When she does, they'll fire her. What do you think that means for the rest of us if the boss get's canned?" Jane knew it wasn't concern for his job causing Cho to speak so freely.

Jane felt a pang of guilt. Cho really cared about his boss. Her whole team did. They didn't want to work for anyone else. He knew that. He'd helped keep them together and gotten them back together more than once. He'd also noticed Lisbon starting to ravel around the edges soon after her witness was supposedly shot in a carjacking gone awry. He'd commiserated with his friend for a brief moment and reminded her it was impossible to save everyone. She'd given it her best.

If the woman chose to leave protective custody for the evening there was nothing she could do about it. That Melinda Alcott managed to slip the experienced team assigned to guard her for the evening long enough to end up dead was on the victim's head. She'd not been the brightest of women to choose a man like Liam Rafferty as a lover in the first place. Lisbon hadn't appreciated his comments and told him so.

With hindsight, Jane regretted some of the things he'd said. Lisbon hadn't particularly liked Melinda; but, she'd given her word to keep her safe in return for her testimony. She'd failed miserably. In her mind it didn't matter that Melinda died due to her own bad decisions. Or that she'd deliberately ignored the rules and worked very hard to slip the people assigned to guard her.

Lisbon was a seasoned cop. She should have been able to anticipate such moves and she hadn't. Well, it wasn't exactly her who'd failed as she was in a meeting with Bertram, LaRoche, and Minelli on another high profile case at the time her witness had been killed. It was the team protecting Melinda who hadn't anticipated her determination to be free for the evening. It hadn't helped his boss's frame of mind that Alcott's father had quite clearly and vocally blamed her for his petulant, spoiled daughter's demise.

As for the scene of the crime, it was a perfectly believable scenario. Melinda Alcott was the daughter of a very wealthy man. She drove a very expensive car well worth breaking down for the parts. She'd stayed at that charity event much too late and parked in a secluded place. She'd slipped her guards fully intending to have one last night on the town before she went back into protective custody. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility that someone was waiting in the darkness for just such an opportunity in the midst of many such opportunities. Melinda just happened to be the first to slip out of the party alone and vulnerable. Plausibility aside, all that mattered in the end was the car was gone and their only witness to Rafferty's crimes was left on the asphalt drowning in her own blood.

Jane winced slightly at the thought it really didn't matter how it looked. He and Lisbon had known better. Liam Rafferty had known Melinda Alcott couldn't stay away from the benefit sponsored by her father in her name. Her ego wouldn't let her. He, or one of his henchmen, had lain in wait to assassinate her which was exactly what he'd done. Considering the work he'd done for the government, Jane would place a hefty bet on Rafferty himself pulling that trigger and wrapping up the oh-so-annoying loose end in the pretty package with one well place bullet from a silenced pistol. Melinda probably hadn't even seen it coming.

Jane thought back over the last few weeks when he'd been more consumed with connecting the dots Lorelei was feeding him than being there for Lisbon as she'd always been there for him. He'd noticed she was getting more withdrawn and spending was too much time studying Liam Rafferty. The warning bells had gone off in his head that obsession was coming. He'd ignored them as Lisbon was too good a cop to turn rogue. She was too by the books to ever step that far out of line. She preferred arresting bad guys to killing them. Everyone knew that. He'd dismissed her actions as those of a good cop gathering the necessary information to catch the bad guy and make it stick. Perhaps he should have looked a bit closer from what Cho was implying. It sounded like he should have stepped in a while ago and separated the huntress from her prey.

"Again, what's your point, Cho?" Jane asked.

"Since you're the bad influence, it's your job to make Lisbon stop the craziness before it's too late." Cho said as though it were the most reasonable demand in the world.

"And how do you propose I do that?" This ought to be interesting.

"Remind her who she is. Remind her CBI Agents don't do vigilante justice. Remind her she isn't you. It's a place to start." Cho suggested.

"Yeah, well, Cho, that particular Spook killed the witness she encouraged to step forward all but in front of Lisbon's eyes and taunted her inability to touch him when she was holding the proof in her hands." Jane reminded Cho. That little development had come later. It was probably what ultimately sent Lisbon into a tailspin if she was actually in one and Cho wasn't over reacting. "That's going to be a hard thing to make Saint Teresa forget. I'm not sure even I'm up for the job."

"Yeah, well, I'd suggest you get up for it." Cho said.

"Or what?" Jane asked.

"Suffice it to say if Lisbon ends up doing anything stupider than she's already done, we're coming after you. I get first dibs, Jane. Rigsby and Van Pelt will deal with what's left." From the look in Cho's eyes, Jane didn't doubt he meant business.

"Are you threatening me, Cho?" Jane asked knowing full well he was.

"It's a promise." Cho said.

"I see. I guess I'd best figure something out fast though we both know Lisbon will kick my ass herself about the time she figures out I'm trying to get between her and Rafferty." Jane stated what they both know.

"Yeah, but she's more merciful than me." Cho's voice was totally blank underlying the very real threat behind his words.

"Perhaps she is. I think I'll take my chances with her." Jane agreed.

"I don't get why the boss isn't letting go. When that evidence disappeared from the locker if should have been enough to tell her Rafferty can't be messed with." Cho stated with finality. "Especially considering she already knew he had political immunity."

"Yeah, she should have, Cho; but, that first taste of the chase is a heady thing. You're high on the belief you can catch your prey and bring him to justice. It's only later you realize the truth: the longer the hunt continues the more all consuming it becomes. You're powerless to stop. It's become too much a part of your soul. There's always the possibility you'll wake up one day to discover you've sacrificed everything you are and will ever be to a pursuit you may never win." Jane admitted honestly.

"Why don't you stop?" Cho asked.

"Would you under the same circumstance?" Jane asked.

"No, I don't guess I would. Not if I thought there was hope." Cho answered.

"There's always hope, Cho. I won't allow myself to believe there isn't. Not as long as I have a breath to breathe." Jane said.

"Not as long as guilt still keeps that ring on your finger." Cho glanced at the narrow gold band adorning the other man's hand.

"I'll see what I can do with Lisbon." Jane stared out over the parking lot as he ran a hand through his hair refusing to admit or accept that truth.

"Good." Cho stepped away from the banister long enough to toss his trash in the can as he lifted his cell to his ear gesturing for Jane to wait. Clicking his phone, he stuffed it back in its case. "We've got to go, Jane." Cho said.

"Whatever it is, Cho, you go. I've got a file on my couch awaiting my return. I'm not willing to start a new case." Jane said fully intent on going downstairs, making a cup of tea, and returning to his search for the missing lead in Lorelei's notes.

"You'll want to start this case." Cho firmly stated.

"Yeah, why so?" Jane asked.

"Jane, that was Lisbon. She wants us to meet her at Rafferty's place." Cho informed the other man not at all surprised by the questioning quirk of his brow.

"Why?" There was something ominous about Cho's tone.

"He's dead." Cho stated blandly.

"I won't ask how as I'm sure you're going to tell me." Jane followed Cho down the stairs.

"Shot between the eyes." Cho tossed over his shoulder.

"How long ago?" Jane asked what Cho wasn't volunteering.

"Sometime in the last couple of hours." Cho admitted.

"I see." Jane said knowing exactly what was behind Cho's tone.

Lisbon had been out of the office goodness only knew where for that whole time frame. They certainly didn't. Jane couldn't help the tingle running through him at that unwelcome thought. Whatever was happening, it wasn't good. He'd bet on it.

"We need to get to the crime scene. I'm driving." Cho punched the elevator button.

This wasn't their case and could never be; but, he didn't blame Lisbon for wanting to be in the loop somewhere. It was perfectly understandable. He also didn't blame her for wanting her team to visit the crime scene for any number of reasons. To get independent verification of her findings wasn't the least among them. Looking up, Cho decided they'd gotten to his SUV faster than he'd expected or he'd been too deeply in thought to pay attention to his surroundings. That wasn't good. He needed to get his mind back on the matters at hand like driving.

Barely giving Jane time to close his door, Cho almost squealed out of the parking lot in the direction of a particular high end gated community. Rafferty had some pretty heavy secrets on people high up to have gone from operative to very, very rich almost overnight. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize the man had been a pretty heavy hitter and deviously smart. Possibly too smart for his own good or he wouldn't be dead. Cho refused to even acknowledge the thought attempting to swirl around in his head.

"We're here." He said unnecessarily as he yanked the key from the ignition and opened his car door.

"Yeah, I'd say we are." Jane agreed as he followed the Korean Agent through the massive doors into the mansion.

Jane pondered what a single man needed with such a place. Oh, that's right, Rafferty came from the wrong side of the tracks. The house was for show. He was rubbing his ill gotten gains in the face of his betters and there was nothing they could do about it. Liam Rafferty had the money and clout to back his impudent mouth. He couldn't be touched even by his strongest enemy. Or maybe he could and just didn't realize it.

"Hey, boss." Cho walked up to stand beside Rigsby and Van Pelt hovering around Lisbon.

"There's nothing much to see here. Someone surprised Rafferty in his study and got the drop on him before he could get his pistol from the drawer." Lisbon said staring at the man hunched over his desk with a bullet hole between his eyes.

"Oh, I'm sure it wasn't that simple, Lisbon. This place has more security than Fort Knox. Whoever got in here had inside knowledge of the most intimate inner workings of this place. They caught Rafferty unaware." Jane observed as he poked about here and prodded there in typical Jane fashion.

"I'd say you're right. It was probably some associate he double crossed or an old lover. Rafferty wasn't exactly an upstanding guy. We'll have to wait and see how the case plays out. It's not our file and there's nothing left to see. Rafferty's dead and it obviously wasn't suicide or an accident." Lisbon glanced about the study one last time before thanking the detective in charge and leading her team out of the room. Exiting the house, Lisbon stopped by her SUV to address her guys.

"We need to get back to the office. We've got the Stillwell case to work. Neither Minelli, LaRoche, nor Bertram are pleased we haven't made more progress." They'd all taken her to task for being too distracted by Liam Rafferty to lead her team as she should.

Well, Rafferty was dead and there was nothing she could do about it except rectify the Stillwell situation. The case was getting her undivided attention and her team was about to get the proverbial cattle prod to their lazy butts. They needed to work double time to make up for the ground they'd lost. Honestly, her team was the best. Lisbon doubted they'd lost any time at all. The Stillwell murder was complex and convoluted. She'd known from the start it was going to take a while to sort out even with Jane involved. Correction, even with Jane half-assed involved which was about to stop, too. The Lorelei Files could go on the back burner for a week or two. Red John would still be there when the Stillwell murder was solved. She was sure of that.

"We'll meet you there." Cho said.

"Guys, why don't you ride with Cho and Jane can ride with me. We need to have a little discussion about the Stillwell case." Lisbon said in a tone daring anyone to complain.

As expected, Rigsby and Van Pelt piled into Cho's SUV while Jane joined Lisbon in hers. In a matter of minutes they were on the road deeply engrossed in a conversation about what would and would not be happening until the Stillwell case was solved. Judging by the stiffness of Lisbon's body, Jane decided his wisest course of action was to agree with his boss to her face and do as he pleased later.

#

Two days later Lisbon sat at her desk studying potential suspects in the Stillwell double homicide. The problem wasn't in having too few viable potential murderers in the mix. It was in having too many even after eliminating a hefty number from the list. The Stillwell's weren't nice people from what she'd been able to discover. There were way too many people who'd gladly drown them in their own toilets.

"Lisbon." She snapped into her cell wondering exactly who was calling her on her private line from a number she didn't recognize.

This wasn't like her CBI cell she had to answer. This was her personal line known only to close friends and family. Oh, and her team as well for emergencies on threat of death if they ever revealed it. As such there was nothing saying she had to answer this call. Yet here she was with said phone plastered to her ear.

"Lisbon." The familiar masculine voice sounded in her ear.

"Jane, where are you?" Lisbon knew something funky was going on as this wasn't his usual cell number and his tone was off.

"I'm up on the roof grabbing a bite." Actually, he was grabbing another of the hot dogs Cho had bought him the other day with a soda and fries. He hadn't had time to grab a cup of tea.

"Then why are you bothering me instead of stuffing your face?" Lisbon asked as she studied the newest information she'd gotten from Simms on the Rafferty case.

"Because it's more important I talk with you." Jane continued through the silence on the line. "Lisbon, you need to get out of there as fast as you can."

"Why?" Lisbon's snort clearly said, 'do what?' without saying anything.

"Lisbon, don't ask questions. Just do as I say. I'll explain later." Jane sounded slightly more agitated.

"Okay." Jane had that certain tone in his voice she hadn't heard since he'd failed to hypnotize her that night on the McTier case. It harbingered nothing good. "What next?"

"Get your purse, tell the guys you're going for lunch at that fish and chips place you like, walk calmly to the parking lot, and get in your SUV. Go to room 24 at the Carlson hotel. You won't need a key." Lisbon rolled her eyes at Jane's bossy tone.

"Jane, I'm not going to that hooker dive." She'd catch cooties just looking at that place.

"You don't have a choice. You've got forty-five minutes, Lisbon. Don't be late." Lisbon puffed up slightly at the rude click in her ear.

Deciding there was more going on here than met the eye, Lisbon grabbed her purse from her drawer and sat it on top of her desk. Sliding into her jacket she palmed her keys and headed for the bullpen hoping Rigsby hadn't wandered off to find something to eat and Grace wasn't off flirting with Ackerson again. That so wasn't going anywhere which was probably why they were doing it. It was just a little harmless fun to ease the monotonous moments.

"Hey, guys, I'm going out to get lunch at Pope's. I'll be back in a few." Fortunately, Rigsby was in the middle of eating take out from that home cooking diner across the street. They all were as Cho and Van Pelt had overflowing white boxes in front of them too. Obviously no one was going to ask her to bring them anything back.

From Jane's cryptic demeanor that was probably a good thing. Lisbon waved her hand at the mumbled acknowledgements and headed for the elevator. Pulling her SUV from the lot a few minutes later, Lisbon stopped at Pope's for an order of beer battered fish and the best fries she'd ever eaten before hitting the road again. Scarfing her take, she glanced at the clock on the dashboard deciding she still had plenty of time. She'd made it into and out of the restaurant ahead of the lunch time crowd.

#

Parking her SUV in the isolated parking lot, Lisbon made her way through the mostly deserted run down park fingering her gun and up the seedy side street. This was not a safe area for a lone woman to be walking. Even a well trained cop. In a matter of minutes she found herself walking up the back of the ramshackle hotel and knocking on the door of Room 24. She wasn't at all surprised when Jane opened the door, his head in a towel. The last time she'd physically seen him, he'd been climbing into a bright blue sports car with a cute little blonde she'd hoped wasn't a lunch date. The mysterious telephone call had come later.

"What's with the cloak and dagger show?" Lisbon said once the door was securely locked behind them.

"Make yourself at home, Lisbon. We're going to be here a little while." Jane said.

"I am so not touching anything in this room, Jane." Lisbon's eyebrow rose to the ceiling.

She did not want to know what they'd find on that bed if forensics shone one of those niftly little lights across the mangy duvet and sheets. It would definitely be an over the top yuck moment she was sure.

"Suit yourself. What's with the cloak and dagger show is your friend Eleni in forensics gave me a call a few hours ago, Lisbon. They're finding your trace all over the crime scene in far more incriminating ways than a cop at the scene would leave." Jane said.

"What do you mean, Jane?" His words weren't making any sense as she'd never been anywhere near Rafferty's place. At least not the inside. The exterior was a different matter.

"Lisbon, you were out of the office for a couple of hours during the time Rafferty was killed. Two hours in which no one knew where you were." Jane stated the undeniable truth.

"I've already told all of you where I was. I was investigating a lead." Lisbon defended herself.

"You were standing in an out of the way corner of the park all alone awaiting a snitch that never showed. Even if witnesses can verify you being there at some point, they won't be able to testify to you being there the entire time. If I recall what you said, your snitch had you move to four different locations before you finally figured out he wasn't coming." Jane reminded her.

"Yeah, something like that." Lisbon agreed.

"Lisbon, even if witnesses testified to seeing you at some point during the time you were missing how much water do you think that will hold against the fact your fingerprints are on the murder weapon along with the rest of the evidence they'll surely fabricate? Eleni bought us some time at the risk of losing her job by delaying the results until I could get you out of Sacramento. You owe her big for this." Jane pointed out.

"Jane, I can't leave. I've got to go back and clear my name." She didn't really have a choice.

"It's not going to be as simple as Carmen, Lisbon. I found this beneath my pillow when I came into the office this morning." Jane held out the small post it note with the familiar smiley face in what would no doubt prove the victim's blood were it tested.

"Red John killed Rafferty." Lisbon started at the slip of paper in disbelief.

"I'd say so. He's upped the ante, Lisbon. It's personal now." Jane confirmed her worse fear.

"It was always personal, Jane." It had been from the start.

"Not for you and not like this." Jane corrected her false belief.

"We can't go back." Lisbon said in horror as reality truly dawned on her.

"No, Lisbon, we can't. Not yet." Jane agreed.

"Not until we clear my name and that'll never happen. Not with his people tampering with evidence." Lisbon buried her face in her hands.

"Not necessarily never; but, sorting this mess is going to take a while. Red John's sphere of influence goes even wider and higher than we thought." Jane refused to destroy her hope even if it couldn't help but take a ding at his words.

"What about my team?" Lisbon asked.

"Obviously, they'll get a new leader; but, we know where their loyalties lay. We'll figure out a way to keep in touch." Jane promised.

"Okay. What do we do now?" Lisbon was totally clueless how one went about this whole on the lam business as it was nothing she'd ever contemplated doing.

"We finish disappearing and it starts with this." Opening a small case, Jane took out a delicate pair of shears.

"What are you doing, Jane?" Lisbon eyed the shears speculatively as Jane herded her into the bathroom to sit on the newspaper surrounded toilet.

"Lisbon, you can't walk around looking like this. You'll be recognized immediately. We're going to cut and dye your hair exactly as I've already done to mine. I figure we can safely burn one and a half to two hours here so we need to get a move on." Jane said.

"Do we have to?" Cutting her hair was one thing; but, dying it another. What if they made so many changes she ceased to know herself? If she ceased to be Teresa Lisbon? She wasn't sure she could live with that.

"Lisbon, while we're altering your outward appearance, nothing can change who you are and who you will always be. Take comfort in that and let me do what must be done." Jane coaxed.

"You do know how to cut hair?" Lisbon asked knowing she'd not be all that surprised if he did.

"Lisbon, you'd be amazed at what I can do. You seem to forget I'm carney at times. We didn't exactly roll into town and head for the nearest beauty salon." Jane said as he attacked Lisbon's hair before she had time to protest. "I'm not taking all that much off just changing the style. I like you with longer hair. Besides, they'll be expecting something drastic like you chopping it all off and going blonde." Jane reminded her.

"Yeah, that makes sense. What makes what you're doing so different?" Lisbon asked hoping Jane had really thought this through.

"Leaving the length and going a nice soft shade of golden red that's what. I had an old friend swing by the beauty supply store as well as a couple of other places for me earlier today. She got everything I need. We rendezvoused in the CBI parking lot in plain sight." Jane informed her.

"Your blonde lunch date I presume?" Lisbon wanted to smack that smirk off his face.

"The lovely daughter of a very old client who owes me big you mean." Jane corrected her.

"What happens when the police find her?" Lisbon asked.

"She won't say a thing if the police ever find her and they won't be able to push too hard. Mia's daddy can push back harder. If that doesn't work, they don't want to tangle with Mia's mommy. She's the big guns in the family." Jane whispered in her ear.

"I see. I won't ask any more because I don't want to know." Lisbon cringed at the snipping of the shears.

"It's probably best that way. Anything Mia spills will be too inaccurate and too late to matter beyond making it as sound as though she's willingly cooperating anyway." Jane dragged a comb through her hair before carefully evening an edge.

'I see." Lisbon hoped he'd finish soon. She really didn't like strange men cutting her hair and Jane was nothing if not strange.

"I'm not sure you do, Lisbon." Jane set the comb and shears aside.

"It's honor among thieves." From the way he was talking about Mia's parents they were ten hues of shady. She'd bet her badge on that.

"Maybe you do." Jane said as he began opening boxes and mixing solutions in a black plastic bowl with a hair color brush.

In a matter of minutes he'd coated her hair in the thick goop like he knew what he was doing. Shoving one of those nasty plastic caps on her head, Jane glanced at his watch as he sat on the side of the none-too-clean looking tub. She so wouldn't touch that thing with Jane's feet if it was humanly possible to rinse her hair in the sink. If it wasn't, she was keeping her socks on.

Nearly an hour and a half later, Lisbon found herself standing in front of the mirror staring at her reflection with a dazed expression on her face. She was wearing a sun dress nothing like what she would normally wear along with low heeled gemstone embellished sandals. Her makeup was brighter to bring out her hair that was now a shade of goldish-red she'd never, ever have thought to wear had she wanted to dye her hair. She didn't know what to think. It wasn't that she was unattractive exactly. She wasn't and she even liked her hair. It was all just so _different_ and difficult to comprehend this woman standing before her.

If that wasn't enough, Jane's curls had been tamed and he gone a darker shade of brown. While dying his hair wasn't beyond comprehension, seeing him in anything but suits was and that was exactly what she was doing. Jane was wearing an expensive silk shirt and a pair of dress slacks along with loafers that probably cost more than she made in two weeks. He looked normal and quite nice actually. However, there wasn't a three piece in sight and that was just plain weird. She might honestly run screaming out the door if he pulled the blue jeans out any time soon. She could only hope that didn't happen or she'd know she'd descended into Lala Land.

"What now, Jane?" Lisbon asked.

"We walk out the back door into another life." Jane said as he gathered the two small bags he'd brought into the room.

"Just like that?" It couldn't be that simple.

"Just like that. I'll give you the details later." Jane said as he gave the room one last once over.

Their clothes were safely ensconced in one of the suitcases and their trash in another. Somewhere along the way hundreds of miles from here he'd toss the plastic bags containing the discarded dye bottles and hair clippings in a dumpster never to be thought of again. While Lisbon was clueless where they were going, he'd already made the necessary arrangements for them to disappear into the crowd right down to the several switches of automobile they'd need between here and their destination. He'd let her in on his plans as they unfolded. The less concrete things Lisbon knew ahead of time the better. She wouldn't have time to second guess every step of his plans and she couldn't fight him.

Lisbon would have little choice but to go with the flow which was exactly as he wanted it.


	2. Chapter 2

Watching Jane maneuver their car into a space in the vast parking lot, Lisbon shook her head. The man was just asking for them to get caught. If he wasn't, he'd still be burning rubber down the highway at a nice clip as they had been. Not stopping at a mega mall on the outskirts of L.A. Less than four hundred miles between them and Sacramento wasn't nearly far enough in her opinion. Not far enough at all.

She resisted the urge to tell him to hit the road as it wouldn't do any good. Like it or not, Jane was in charge of the whole operation. She was just along for the ride praying every step of the way they made it to goodness only knew where. Lisbon was mildly surprised she wasn't worried about their final destination. She trusted Jane to get her somewhere safe...as safe as she could be under the circumstances. She wasn't sure why all things considered. She just did.

"Out." Jane commanded rudely more to head off the Lisbon protests he knew were coming than any real desire to be discourteous.

"What are we doing here?" She asked as she unfastened her seat belt.

"We need a few things. This is as good a place as any to get them." Jane informed her.

"Do you think that's smart?" Lisbon asked as she rose to her feet and closed the door.

"Yeah, Ginger, I do." Jane said as he draped his arm lightly around her waist ignoring her slightly startled expression. "I'm Greg and you're Ginger. Remember it." Jane whispered in Lisbon's ear looking for all the world like he was kissing her ear instead. "We _will_ get caught if you don't play along. Now get with the program." He said as he nuzzled her neck in a way that had Lisbon blushing before leaning limply into his embrace exactly as he intended.

"Lead the way, Greg." Lisbon accepted his words were true.

"Listen carefully. You have a thousand dollars in your purse." Lisbon gazed at the small clutch hooked to her wrist by a dainty strap that was admittedly quite pretty but too impractical. She wouldn't have bought the sucker. Not yesterday, today, or ever. It was much too girly girl. "Spend as much as you need. There's more where that came from."

"I won't need that much." Lisbon assured him. There was no way she was spending a thousand dollars of Jane's money on clothes she didn't want or need. It wasn't right.

She'd be cleared and back in her cozy apartment wearing her serviceable suits before either of them could say boo. She was sure of it. Red John's ploy wasn't going to work. Everyone would quickly figure out this was all just a terrible misunderstanding. That she was being craftily framed. She was too by the book to do anything as disreputable as take a man's life in cold blood. Even if he was a soulless murdered. Everything would get straightened out soon. It had to be. Truthfully, it probably already was. But, Lisbon wasn't ready to put her money where her mouth was. She wasn't about to call Minelli to find out. Not yet. She didn't want to know if it wasn't.

No part of Teresa Lisbon was ready to accept she'd stepped from her neat, orderly life into her worse nightmare.

Not until there was no other choice.

"Ginger, none of that matters." Jane spoke firmly into her ear conveying he was privy to her thoughts though she hadn't said a thing. "All that does is we're hitting the mall at the busiest time of day. We're getting what we need and we're paying with cash. We aren't engaging the store clerks so it's highly unlikely anyone will remember either of us if it ever gets that far.

Buy whatever you'll need for the next two weeks in terms of slacks, jeans, shirts, and a nice dress or two. Better yet, I'm going to help you pick things out before moving on to get what I need.

Don't spend an excessively large amount at any one register. Make several trips to different check outs throughout the store and we'll be fine. Meet me right over there by that bench in an hour once you're done." Jane said as he escorted Lisbon into a major department store.

"I'll be there." Lisbon wasn't at all surprised when Jane plucked a pretty patterned crimson silk sundress similar in cut to the one she was wearing off the rack in passing.

Nor was Lisbon all that surprised fifteen minutes later to find herself standing at the register purchasing three pretty dresses, one of them a shocking bling encrusted animal print in tawny shades of gold blending nicely with her hair, three pairs of slacks in colors and patterns she'd never pick along with several coordinating mix and match jewel tone blouses, a couple of skirts, four brightly colored bejeweled tanks, a black jacket and a pair of matching black slacks she refused to do without. Paying for her purchases, Lisbon decided the nicest part of all was most of her take was from the clearance racks so she hadn't made a substantial dent in her stash. No one batted an eyelash as she counted out several hundred dollar bills. They were in a more upscale store. Purchases in her price range were common everyday occurences.

Moving to the next department, she selected three pairs of brand name jeans, a coordinating jean jacket, a couple of belts, a couple of vividly colored cashmere blend crew neck sweaters, a basic black cardigan, three casual button down shirts, and a casual jacket that would go with anything. After paying for her purchases at a different register, she moved on to buy a couple of pairs of pajamas, panties, bras, socks, hose, and trouser socks in lingerie before hitting the mother lode in the shoe department. Fortunately, her feet were commonly sized so buying tennis shoes, loafers, sandals, and pumps wasn't a major undertaking and she soon had at least one pair of each in her possession. She even managed to snag a simple black bikini, a one piece, and a cover up along the way. Glancing at her watch, her hour was all but up. While traffic was steady, she'd not had to stand in line more than a handful of minutes anywhere.

Hoisting her take, Lisbon made her way to the secluded bench five minutes early fully expecting her companion to be nowhere in sight. To her surprise, he was already waiting. Rising to his feet, Jane seized half her load and nestled Lisbon into his side as he herded her in the opposite direction from the one in which they'd come. Wisely keeping her mouth closed as they didn't need any unwanted attention, Lisbon decided to go with the flow. She'd know where Jane was taking her soon enough.

Exiting the mall at the opposite end from the one they'd entered, Jane stood on the sidewalk studying Lot G for a moment before guiding Lisbon in the direction of a particular aisle. Stopping in front of yet another moderately price luxury car, Jane punched several numbers into the key pad. Reaching beneath the seat he withdrew the key ring. Watching Jane press another button, Lisbon wasn't at all surprised to watch the trunk lid rise. Nor was she all that shocked there were several matching suitcases inside.

"We'll put things where they belong later. For the moment, we need to get a move on." Jane said softly as he stowed their bags in the trunk and closed the lid before walking around to open Lisbon's door.

Sliding into her seat she fastened her seatbelt and waited for Jane to get situated.

"Tommy sends his love." Jane said as he cranked the ignition.

"Do not tell me you've involved my brother in this mess." Lisbon said resisting the urge to take a swipe at the man as soon as he confirmed her suspicions.

"Not really." Jane replied as he pulled out of the tight parking place aware that Lisbon's eyes were on his every move.

Watching him expertly back out, Lisbon was glad she wasn't driving. Her heart was beating so fast she couldn't drive if she wanted and she so did not want to be driving. Not now and not any time soon. Maybe when they got a state or two over she'd be ready. At the moment she'd see a cop around every turn and react accordingly with disastrous results she was sure.

Truthfully, she'd fully expected to be taken into custody at any time. Even with her light red gold hair wearing the low cut sundress and strappy sandals no one would ever expect to see here wearing. Teresa Lisbon so didn't flash boob even if was the tiniest bit of cleavage. More importantly even with curl free dark haired Jane wearing slacks and a cobalt silk shirt she'd never expect to see him wear in a million years super glued to her side like a freshly minted lover. Fortunately, it seemed no one else did either which she supposed was a good thing. A three piece suit would certainly have given them away immediately even with the changes they'd made.

"Talk, Jane." Lisbon demanded.

"Tommy's not really involved, Lisbon. Nothing beyond the fact I let him know we would be gone until this whole sordid mess got sorted out." Jane stated as he adeptly manovered around the conflicted fool in front of them who clearly didn't know if he was coming or going.

"What else did he do?" Lisbon asked.

"He and James brought the car down and left it here." Jane admitted.

"What do you mean he and James brought the car down and left it here?" Lisbon was not happy with this latest turn of events. Jane had involved her brothers in a clear cut case of obstruction of justice at the very least. He was so dead as soon as he pulled over somewhere she could kill him. She'd worry about hiding the body somewhere later.

"Tommy picked this car up from an old friend's lot and brought it here. He walked through the mall to the other end where he exited into the North parking lot. From there your brother James picked him up and they road off into the sunset. They were long gone before we ever got here. They don't even know if we were here at all, if we picked up the car, or if someone else did. They're clueless to the change in our appearances. End of the story and the end of any involvement of the Lisbon brothers in our schemes." Jane clarified.

"Our schemes? Your schemes you mean as usual, Jane." Lisbon reminded him. "What if they're on video camera? What if we're on video camera picking the car up? We'll all get busted. You have to know they'll be searching the whole state of California." Lisbon said.

"That's why we aren't hanging out too long in any one spot. Besides, they haven't got this far yet even with modern technology. Besides, this is the oldest part of the parking lot, Lisbon. While the mall will never come clean and admit it as they certainly don't want the public to know, Lot G is the one place their new camera system doesn't cover yet. They're working on the problem; but, they haven't gotten it fixed yet. It seems there's been a down turn in profits lately and it's a very expensive little glitch to correct so it'll be a while before the video works in this sector. Needless to say, we have nothing to worry about." Jane reassured his companion the only way he could.

"I don't want to know how you found that out." Lisbon said.

"No, I don't suppose you do." Jane confirmed as he merged into interstate traffic.

He also wanted wasn't telling her that he'd met with Tommy and Annabeth in person at a taco stand to lay the groundwork for his plan. Lisbon wouldn't appreciate that tidbit at all. She'd box both of his ears for getting her family involved and probably rightly so. Unfortunately, there was no one he trusted with this stage of the plan except her family. That being said, he'd not really had a choice. He'd done his best to involve them only marginally while still getting the help he needed.

The only down side to his plan had been the conversation he'd had with Annie. That kid was far too astute for her own good. She was a mini-Lisbon in too many ways. He'd not had an answer for her when she'd outright asked him why he was willing to lose his only decent lead to Red John for her Aunt Reese when he was finally getting closer than he'd ever been. Jane had given her the only answer he could. He trusted the team to keep Lorelei safe in his absence as he trusted them to help clear Lisbon's name when the time came.

The truth was far more convoluted and he wasn't going there. All Jane knew was when everything was said and done, Lisbon was worth it. If she wasn't, he'd have let Sheriff Hardy take her out and gotten Red John a long time ago. Nope, he wasn't going there. It was what it was and that was all there was to it.

"Then I won't ask. I'd hate to have to kill you." Lisbon said venomously as she tilted her seat back and closed her eyes.

"That's a smart thing to do. Shopping takes a lot out of a girl." Jane said as he settled in for a long drive. The 'as did getting so angry with him' wisely remained unsaid.

They wouldn't be stopping for anything but fast food and potty breaks from here to their destination. Given his ability to fully function on minimal sleep, a twelve or thirteen hour drive total wasn't all that wearing. Lisbon, however, needed to rest. Stress was taking quite the toll on her. She was seeing bogey men around every turn and that wouldn't do at all. Not if they wanted to make a clean getaway as they did.

#

"Where are we?" Lisbon blinked her eyes open to a totally unfamiliar place and quickly decided they weren't in Oz anymore. They probably weren't in California either given the looks of things.

"Phoenix. Actually Scottsdale if you want to be specific." Jane said as he unfastened his seat belt.

"What are we doing here, Jane?" Lisbon asked as she noted the resort sign.

"We're spending one night of our honeymoon in an upscale place that's low key enough not to have video cameras in every corner so as to insure their guests' privacy." Jane informed her.

"Do what?" Lisbon didn't believe what she'd just heard.

"I said we're spending one night of our honeymoon at this lovely establishment." As Lisbon was clearly knocked for a loop by his words even after repeating them, Jane decided to show her instead.

Drawing the black velvet box from his pocket, he opened the lid to expose the simple emerald and diamond band. While nothing particularly eye catching at first glance, the ring made a definite statement upon closer examination. None of the stones were all that large, but each was of a consistent size and quality that spoke of serious money.

"That ring's expensive, Jane. How did you get your hands on the cash for all of this so fast?" Lisbon asked as he slid the embellished gold band on her finger. She almost choked when he lifted her hand to his lips before letting it go.

"Lisbon, you know what I was in my other life. Suffice it to say I had substantial funds socked away in case of emergency. Funds I've never touched in the years since my family died so they're far more than adequate for our needs." Besides, it had always been easier and more fun to make his money the good, old fashioned way duping a willing mark.

He'd never had to touch the mad money secreted away within easy reach. Only what was in his legitimate bank account when needed. As he'd not accessed any of that in preparing for their flight, all that was missing from the accounts law enforcement could access was his usual monthly expenses. While everyone would all but know he was with Lisbon, they couldn't be totally sure. He might have chosen to suddenly disappear on a great Red John hunt that happened to coincide with Lisbon's disappearance. It was a rather weak hypothesis; but, it was there and it was enough to cast a small amount of reasonable doubt on his whereabouts.

"I see." Lisbon honestly wasn't sure how she felt about living on Jane's dime; but, it wasn't like she had a whole lot of choice.

"I certainly don't mind sharing what I have with you, Lisbon. Truthfully, we both know I owe you more than I can ever repay." Jane flicked a glistening tendril off her cheek.

"Whatever." Lisbon chose to ignore that remark as she had a lot of them over the last few weeks. Anyways, she didn't like Jane talking that way. He honestly didn't owe her anything. "How long has your ring been gone, Jane?" Lisbon asked noticing the bare appendage for the first time and mentallly kicking herself in the fanny for not being more observant.

"Since before I met you at the Carlson. It wouldn't do for someone to recognize my wedding band. It doesn't matter there's a million others just like it out there. That ring is unique to me and everyone knows it." Jane reminded her.

"I guess it wouldn't. It would be one more thing indicating you might possibly be Patrick Jane in spite of the physical changes." Lisbon agreed.

"That's why I got this one." Jane removed the second box from his pocket and opened the lid to expose a plain wider gold band matching hers without the stones.

"I suppose you want me to put that on your finger." Lisbon stated somewhat dubiously.

"That would be nice." Jane agreed.

Removing the ring from the box, Lisbon awkwardly slid the band on Jane's finger finding the whole situation surreal. A part of the ruse, it didn't mean a thing; but, her heart was racing again. She so wasn't going there.

"I'm not kissing your finger, Jane." Lisbon said as she released his hand.

"Do you really think that's fair?" Jane asked with a disturbing twinkle in his eye.

"Bite me." Lisbon scowled at him not at all pleased he found her discomfort amusing.

"Lisbon, open the glove compartment and take out the manila envelope." Jane commanded. "Now, look inside."

"Ah, Jane, what's all this?" Lisbon looked at the jumbled mass she'd tipped into her lap.

"What does it look like it is?" Jane asked.

"A driver's license and passports along with a few other things like a very real looking marriage license dated and signed yesterday." Lisbon said.

"If anyone checks, I can assure you that signature is the epitome of real." Jane reassured her.

"You blackmailed the Clerk of Court?" Lisbon asked.

"Lisbon, look at where we got married. Do you honestly think I had to threaten anyone?" Jane asked.

Sin City.

She'd supposedly run off and married Jane in Sin City? Lisbon rolled her eyes quite eloquently. How corny could he get? She so wouldn't get married in Vegas under any circumstance. Wait, it wasn't so bad. Actually, it was Kimberly Anne Finkelstein who'd married George Jonathan Yates in Sin City. Not Teresa Lisbon and Patrick Jane.

Yeah, given that last name she'd probably take a pig farmer up on his offer to wed in order to change it if he'd been the first to ask for her hand. George Jonathan Yates wasn't all that great either. Where did Jane come up with those names? Oh, yeah, she didn't want to know. They'd probably died in 1750 or 1858 if the truth was known. That was how these things were often done.

"Yes, well, it's in our best interest to have our cover look as real as possible. As I've already said this isn't like it was with that fool Carmen. Red John's behind this mess. It won't be nearly as easy to get you out of. Accept that you're Kimberly Yates and I'm your husband, Jonathan, from Bakersfield, California. We're on our way to Atlanta to accept new jobs and we're taking the scenic route. I'm in medical equipment sales and you're a housewife finishing your teaching degree.

When we get where we're going, you'll be Amber Rhodes and I'm Jack Jones. We're lovers a bit on the oil and water side, but definitely lovers. Of course, Sammy and Pete and a few others will know the truth; but, as far as the rest of the crew is concerned, we're just Amber and Jack." Jane said. In fact, his old friends were in possession of the various bits of plastic they'd need to prove their new identies once they'd been absorbed into the fold.

"We're running off to join the circus?" Lisbon wasn't sure she'd heard Jane right. The big reveal was they were becoming carnies? She didn't know the first thing about carney life.

"Can you think of a better place to hide in plain sight?" Jane asked.

"Do you think that's wise? The truth will eventually get out." Lisbon said.

"Yeah, it might. But, carnies are better than most at keeping secrets and if it does come out they don't give up their own. Not the handful that will know the truth. We have a past going back a long way. The things I know on them could land them a stent in jail. The things they know on me, well it's the same.

None of that really matters, Lisbon. It isn't about any of that. It's the code and the fact we're all family. Family doesn't turn on family and they'll keep the newbies in line." Jane reassured her.

"You left, Jane, and I'm a cop." Lisbon reminded him.

"Yeah, I did, Lisbon; but, I paid a terrible price. All's been forgiven a long time ago. There might still be a punch or two out there waiting for me; but, that's about the extent of it." Jane's body language was as confident as he sounded. He was looking forward to being among old friends after being away so long. Lisbon wasn't sure she felt the same. "As for you, you let Danny go. That's enough of a start for Sammy and Pete. Where they lead, the others will follow. Besides, you're not a cop at the moment and you surely aren't interested in busting anyone's chops for whatever they might be doing."

"No, I'm not. I'm just not sure I can pull it off, Jane. I'm not sure I can be carney." Lisbon said.

"Lisbon, stop worrying. I'll be standing beside you showing the way." Jane promised. "For now, you need to hand me that license and take your own. The rest you can put back in the glove compartment. We don't need marriage certificates and passports at the moment." Jane said.

Doing as she was told, Lisbon turned to Jane for further instruction.

"Where are we meeting?" Jane didn't have to ask what Lisbon meant.

"Oklahoma. From there we'll do a tour through the Midwestern states." Jane informed her.

They'd need much warmer clothes before that happened. But, he'd wait until they got where they needed to be before initiating another impromptu shopping expedition. Between what they'd bought in California and what they would buy, they'd be prepared for anywhere the circus might go.

"I see." The thought of stepping into the unknown unsettled Lisbon more than she felt comfortable admitting.

"Lisbon, everything will be fine. At the moment we have more immediate things to worry about like getting past the check in desk to our room. We just got married yesterday. We've got to act like it. I'd suggest being a lot more touchy feely in public than you're comfortable being." Jane sagely said. "We'll start with this."

Unfastening her seatbelt, Jane drew Lisbon into his arms. Reminding herself she had no idea what Jane had noted that she hadn't, Lisbon resisted the urge to pull away and opened her mouth beneath his deciding going with the flow was her smartest course of action for the moment. If it proved unfounded, she'd smack the snot out of Jane for his presumptuousness. It wasn't like she'd never thought about kissing Jane anyway. She had though such thoughts were her guilty little secret. She'd just never really considered he'd thought about kissing her.

And though Jane was a consummate actor, none of this felt like an act. In fact the tongue dancing quite erotically against hers seemed intent on nothing so much as coaxing the heartfelt response she was willingly giving against her better judgment. Wrapping her fingers through his hair, Lisbon was never quite sure if she crawled into Jane's lap or if he pulled her there. The one thing she did know was that wasn't a gun in his pocket and she did not need to sitting in exactly the position she was. She was much to vulnerable. Feeling her stiffen, Jane released a thoroughly kissed Lisbon allowing her to scamper to her side of the car putting a comfortable distance between them.

"Uh, what was that for?" Lisbon said calmly as though they hadn't just gotten much too carried away in the midst of a kiss meant entirely for show.

"See the college kid manning the door? We've been sitting out here long enough to start attracting his attention in a way that isn't good. Now, he won't think anything as he takes our luggage to our room except we were having some kind of stupid lovey dovey conversation like honeymooners do ending in a passionate kiss promising more hanky panky to come as soon as we're in a more private location." Jane said as he finger combed Lisbon's well mussed hair before pulling a comb from his pocket to address his own. "You look quite beautiful, Lisbon. I'm sure he'll think so, too." Leaning over Jane kissed the end of her nose before opening his door and walking around the car to open hers.

"There isn't going to be any hanky panky, Mister, so get that thought right out of your mind." Lisbon whispered in his ear just in case the man had a similar voice in his brain to the one whispering in her head.

It had been a long time since a particular hunger had been sated and that kiss had promised delights worth sampling. Actually, it was more the inadvertent straddling of a certain part of his anatomy that promised unknown delights. Delights she wouldn't mind sampling under other circumstances. Say, if Jane wasn't her consultant. Shaking her head, Lisbon forced that thought right out of her mind. Jane might not be broken any more; but, she so wasn't going there. This was all a ruse to clear her name and that was exactly what it was going to remain.

"That's a shame, Lisbon. It really is." Jane teased before grabbing their suitcase from the trunk. He must have transferred a few outfits from their shopping bags to the case on one of their rest area stops. She'd been much too drowsy to notice.

"Hmph." Lisbon said as Jane closed the trunk and wrapped his arm around her waist. Lisbon responded by planting her hand in that spot between his lower back and his nicely shaped derrierre. Jane whispered in her ear that he really wouldn't mind her hand drifting lower and laughed out loud as he got the responding blush he'd wanted. The woman was much too easy to play; but, now one could doubt there performance was real.

Lisbon decided she wasn't looking forward to spending the night with her mentalist in close quarters. He was already enjoying himself much too much. She could already tell the man was going to be a pain. But, at least from the looks of the place, she'd get a hot shower and some good food out of the deal. The bed might even be comfortable for a change. Even if she had to share it with Jane.

#

Lisbon looked across the candle lit table at her partner in crime. Actually, she wasn't looking across anything as she was sitting beside him with his hand on her crimson silk clad thigh. Exactly as he'd said, they'd checked in without a hitch and followed the college aged kid who'd occasionally flashed a knowing leer in their direction every now and then. Lisbon had longed to smack that perverse expression off his dirty little face. He had no right to be imagining them writhing nakedly. Jane had taken it all in stride as just another indication his ploy was advancing nicely.

An hour later, they'd found themselves showered, changed, and sitting in a secluded corner of the resort restaurant being catered to by the non-intrusive wait staff and eating the best food she'd tasted in years. Actually, Lisbon was being fed the best food she'd eaten in ages by an overly attentive Jane in true honeymooner style. She'd even gotten used to hearing herself called Kim and calling him Jonathan.

Not that she could really gripe about any of this. She was enjoying feeding her imaginary lover as well. There was something about carefree Jane she found as entrancing as brooding Jane and that was a dangerous realization. She sternly reminded herself it was all for show. She'd be wise to remember that. Her companion was a master at hiding in plain sight and it behooved her to follow his lead. That was as far as it was going.

Lisbon came out of her thoughts to see Jane offering her the last bite of decadent chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Opening her mouth she allowed him to feed her the last bit savoring the intense flavor before swallowing the creamy offering. There was something incredibly sensual about the way Jane had teased her with the most succulent nibbles of perfectly cooked filet and bites of butter laden sweet potato all night. There was something about the look in his eyes making her body respond in totally inappropriate ways that Lisbon was sure Jane was fully aware of as well. Her consultant was playing a dangerous game and Lisbon wasn't sure exactly why. Perhaps he was going deep under their cover and she'd be wise to follow suit as long as she remembered that was all it was. Perhaps it was something more. Lisbon couldn't help feeling by the time she figured out Jane's intent it would be much too late. She'd already be soundly caught in sticky spider webbing.

Turning her attention back to Jane, Lisbon decided she wasn't going to worry about that for the moment. She had more important things on her mind. Like getting where they were going without getting caught.

"What do you say we finish our champagne and go upstairs?" Jane asked in a silky tone sending shivers down her back.

"Sounds like a plan." Lisbon said as she drained her glass and took his hand.

#

"I don't think anyone in that restaurant has any doubt what's going on up here right about now." Jane smirked at Lisbon's crimson stained cheeks.

"Nothing's going on here, Jane. Get over yourself. You've had your fun." Lisbon rooted around in the suitcase for her sleep tank and shorts.

"You get over yourself. You really shouldn't wear that, Lisbon. No one will believe we're on our honeymoon if you do." Jane pointed out. "You should wear this instead." Reaching around her, he pulled out a wisp of black silk Lisbon knew darned well she hadn't bought and wasn't about to wear. Jane must have bought it in a moment of insanity. Surely he hadn't believed she'd lost enough of her mind to wear that bit of nothing revealing more than it concealed in his presence.

"No one's going to see what I'm wearing, Jane, to question what I'm wearing or not wearing so I am so not wearing that thing." Lisbon reminded him.

"A man can hope, Lisbon, even if it comes to naught." Jane said.

"A man can get slapped for impudence." Lisbon said as she straightened their clothes in the suitcase.

"Lisbon, you need to get comfortable with all of this." Jane said as he removed his pajamas from the suitcase. "You're going to be living with me in a sardine tin sized travel trailer and I can assure you the bed is a hell of a lot smaller than this." Jane gestured to the king sized bed. "Carney are astute folks and they're not shy. Not about anything. You can't really be considering we live right up under each other. Added to that, we're a nosy bunch. Everyone's into everyone else's business.

If we slip up and use the wrong names, someone's going to hear it and it'll spread like wild fire. If you flinch when I touch you as I most certainly must or draw away when I kiss you, the jig is up. It might be smart if we start practicing now.

Of course we can't call each other Amber and Jack yet; but, we can start that once we hit the road. In the interim, it might be wise to get used to snuggling and hugging and all the other little intimacies short of sex we haven't engaged in." Jane tossed out. "You're the one worrying about us pulling this off in the end. If you do as I say there won't be a problem. None of the newbies will figure out we aren't who we seem and none of the old timers will betray our secrets. Just play your role and follow my lead. Trust me, Lisbon, that's all you have to do." Jane reminded her.

"I do. It's the rest of the world I have a problem with." Lisbon admitted.

"The rest of the world doesn't matter. Or they won't once we get where we're going." Jane reassured her.

"It might help if I knew what to expect once we get to Oklahoma." Lisbon said as she watched Jane return the suitcase to the closet.

"You'll help take care of Daisy since she likes you. Me, I'll help with setup and operate a ride or two. You'll probably eventually do the same. Other than that, we'll just live our lives behind the scenes as most carnies do." Jane told her.

"Is that wise being out in the open?" Lisbon asked.

"Hiding in plain sight, remember?" Jane responsed. "Go changed while I change out here. We need to get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be another long day. If we get up early enough, we might even be able to slip in a few laps in that nice Olympic sized pool before we leave." Jane said knowing Lisbon would like that.

"I'd like that." Lisbon walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

A few minutes later she emerged face freshly scrubbed wearing a bright blue tank and plaid sleep shorts carrying her clothes in her hands. As expected Jane had changed into his pajamas and put his shirt and pants away. Deliberately ignoring the fact he wasn't wearing the matching pajama top, Lisbon hung her dress in the closet before putting her hose and under clothes away. She felt far more vulnerable being in Jane's presence so scantily clothed, but she ignored the feeling. They'd be getting far more intimate before they were done from the way things sounded considering the close quarters they'd be sharing.

"Come to bed, Lisbon." Jane said as he flipped the covers back and slid onto the mattress.

Closing the closet doors, Lisbon walked across the room to climb onto the king sized bed and lay on her side in a fetal position. She wasn't at all surprised when a strong arm snaked out to pull her into a spooning hold. She'd been expecting to have Jane eventually wrapped around her like an octopus. She'd thought maybe to have a few extra moments she wasn't getting; but, she wasn't surprised to find herself playing Jane's cuddle toy.

The up side was if a maid happened to burst in on them before they awakened, she wouldn't doubt they were together.

The bad news was she doubted she was going to get any sleep with Jane's hand resting so intimately against her lower belly beneath her shirt. She still wasn't sure how he'd managed that or even if he knew he'd done it. All she did know was his fingers were resting much too low for comfort. Not really all that improper; but, still much too low.

However, she wasn't about to risk waking him by moving that hand as it was obvious Jane had already slipped into much needed sleep by the snuffling in her ear.

Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to ignore that hand if she concentrated on the cadence of his breathing. It wasn't as if Jane was conscious of his actions. The man was asleep for goodness sakes. She just needed to stop being foolish. She needed to close her eyes and join him.

Tomorrow was another long day.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Updates will probably be at a rate of one per week, possibly two, as that's about how long it's taking me to get a chapter written. The setup is done. They'll meet up with the circus - actually the county fair - next chapter I think.

Guests, I appreciate the reviews more than you can know so thank you. ~Calla

#

"Go 'way." Lisbon mumbled as she burrowed into her pillow blindly swiping at the presence nuzzling into her neck. "Jane, I swear you're a dead man if you don't stop that foolishness." Lisbon not so playfully shoved her man blanket back onto his side of the bed. "Now stay there."

Jane was confusing the hell out of her with all the touchy feely out of character moments that weren't really so very out of character. Just pushing the parameters of their friendship farther than they'd ever been pushed before. As if going on the lam with her didn't already do that; but, all the rest was getting a little weird. Truthfully, all they'd ever done was hold hands or each other in particularly stressful moments.

Well, and Jane had sort of told her he loved if she counted that unexpected confession before he'd "shot" her. The confession Jane refused to address when she'd asked him about it. Or the time he'd told her to call him "Patrick" in the midst of Belladonna poisoning. She'd gotten the blinky owl eyes over that one she was sure. Whatever, she so wasn't thinking about any of this.

Or about those rare occasions when she'd wondered what it would be like to kiss Jane over the years in brief moments of insanity. That was a question she could answer now and she really wasn't thinking about that one either. Such memories could easily lead a girl astray and a girl had to remember this fantasy wouldn't last forever. As soon as they cleared her name, they'd be back to plain old Lisbon and Jane. A consultant and his boss.

"I'm getting into character." Jane defended his actions.

Right, that's why she'd awoken earlier this morning to find her bladder about to burst and his hand cupping her left breast in a totally inappropriate manner. Fortunately for Jane, he'd truly been asleep so she'd allowed his transgression to pass without maiming him.

"Well, get into character later. Right now you're much too close." Lisbon said as she flopped back on her pillows and pulled the covers under her chin. She wasn't ready to get up. "If I didn't know better, I'd say there's been a closet perv hiding in there for the better part of a decade." Lisbon tapped his head somewhat surprised when Jane captured her hand instead.

"Lisbon, I'm not a perv. I'm also not immune to an attractive woman and I never have been no matter what you and everyone else have chosen to tell yourself. I simply had no desire to act on any of those other attractions. Surely you know that?" Jane twirled a tendril of red gold hair between his fingers.

"I never really thought about it." Lisbon refused to look at him.

"Liar." Jane softly called her on it.

"Jane." Lisbon threatened.

"Lisbon, you're a terrible liar. We both know that. Forget you're a cop. Forget I'm your consultant. Forget it's professional suicide to get romantically involved with a member of your team. We aren't Lisbon and Jane any more.

All of that ended the moment we hit the road. Since then, we've been whoever we need to be. At the moment we're Kim and Jonathan. In a few hours, we'll be Amber and Jack who are undeniably lovers. You need to remember that or we'll end up sharing a tiny cell with a sadistic redneck called Bubba or worse. I've been there and I can assure you it isn't anywhere you want to be.

That being said, let me ease your mind a bit.

Our cover is simple: I'm an itinerate carney and professional gambler. I don't play the big Vegas games preferring the backroom, high stakes tables to the spotlight given my past is shadier than most. Though I leave my roots for a while, I always come back. You need to understand something else, Lisbon. Carney is in the blood. Very few of us truly ever leave." Looking deeply into her eyes, Jane confirmed the one thing she'd always known. He could never escape his very essence and she didn't want him to after all these years. If he did, he wouldn't be Jane.

"What about me? No one will ever believe I'm carney." Lisbon said.

"No, they won't; but, we don't want them suspecting you were ever a cop either." Jane said.

"I am a cop, Jane." Lisbon corrected him.

"Yes, you are. You need to forget that for the moment. I'm not sure exactly what you are. We're going to have to pick a job you've done in the past, maybe while you were in college, that you're intimately familiar with." Jane said.

"I waitressed to put myself through school." Lisbon admitted.

"Then you're a waitress I picked up somewhere along the way." Jane said as more pieces fell into place.

"How charming, Jane. I'm not sure I want to be a waitress and certainly not one you "picked up" in Vegas." Lisbon's tone was pointed.

"Lorelei was a means to an end, Lisbon, and nothing more. I've said that before. The fact I'm here with you and not there with her should say everything that needs to be said. But, your point is taken." Jane said quietly. "Were you anything else?"

"I filled in when the bartender called out sick and I've been a self defense instructor." Lisbon said.

"We don't have much to work with here, Lisbon. So we hooked up in Reno, not Vegas. Can you live with that?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, I think I can. I have an old college roommate who works the tables in one of the nicest Casinos. She worked her way up from waitressing to bartending to assistant pit boss. I've visited her a few times over the years so I should be able to hold my own if anyone gets too nosey." Lisbon agreed.

"Your cover's beginning to come together nicely. The self defense bit might come in handy the first time you beat the snot out of one of the guys for getting a tad too friendly. Other than that, all you need to do is whatever you're told when you join the crew. Anything you don't know they'll teach you.

Our relationship is pretty simple, too. When I touch you; touch me back. When I kiss you; kiss me back. Or better yet, you can kiss me whenever you'd like. I promise I won't mind at all." Jane's tone said he definitely wouldn't. "If I drag you inside in front of the crew blush prettily and go along with it. I promise not to molest you too much. Just enough to send you out looking rumpled and well loved."

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon rolled her eyes as if to reply she certainly wouldn't be kissing him any time soon and he'd better not be dragging her anywhere like he meant business.

"Lisbon, as we'll be meeting up with the crew tomorrow night or Friday some time at the latest, I suggest you get with the program. Imagine we're going undercover if you must. I really don't care what you do as long as you do it. We're playing with your life and with your freedom and with mine as well. If you remember that, I think you can do anything you have to do." Jane told her.

"Yeah, Jane, I think I can." Lisbon decided he was right and she'd find a way through the confusion.

They were playing for keeps and depending exclusively on each other. There wasn't any other choice. The waters were going to get muddied somewhere along the way. They couldn't help it. They were bound to develop feelings and attractions they weren't anticipating. It happened to cops in deep cover all the time. It was one of the hazards of the job. Everyone knew that.

If they both happened to already have feelings that were unprofessional to start with, and she wasn't saying they did, she'd have to deal with it as Jane would. Besides, whatever happened on the road would stay on the road. It had to. All that really mattered was getting out of this with her freedom and her job intact. God help her, Lisbon didn't want to be another of Red John's casualties losing everything. She didn't want to be another Hightower, or worse, another Jane.

"If it makes this any easier, you're more than an attractive woman to me and I certainly don't mind kissing you. Truthfully, as nice as it was to kiss you, I like snuggling with you even better. I think you'll learn to appreciate snuggling me back on those cold Midwestern nights." Jane smirked at the wide eyed look of horror Lisbon shot him.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon said as she rolled to a sitting position plopping her feet on the carpeted floor.

"Why don't you go for that swim I know you're dying to take? I have a few things I need to do over the next couple of hours. When you get back we'll order room service, get cleaned up, and hit the road." Jane said from behind her.

"That sounds like a plan." Shaking her head, Lisbon decided Jane was enjoying playing head games more than he should at the moment.

"If you're taking requests, I'd like to see the bikini." Turning, Lisbon noticed Jane had put a safer distance between them.

"How do you even know I bought a bikini? You've been going through my stuff, haven't you?" Lisbon accused.

"Yeah, well, how else was I supposed to know if we were color coordinated?" Jane asked as he pushed the button on the in room coffee maker.

"Shush, Jane, it might be wise if you stopped right there." Lisbon said as she rummaged through her suitcase and meandered into the bathroom with something black clutched in her hand.

Making a cup of tea first, Jane then proceeded to make Lisbon's coffee exactly as she liked it. He'd even coerced their sweet little waitress through charm and a well earned tip into providing him with a generous supply of half and half so his lovely little "bride" wouldn't have to suffer the indignity of drinking her coffee with that horrid powdered goop.

"Here, Lisbon, this should soothe the savage beast." Jane crammed the cup into Lisbon's hands quite pleased she'd taken his suggestion concerning the somewhat skimpier than he'd thought bikini.

He was quite pleased as well that the matching cover-up was obviously much thinner than she'd thought. He was enjoying a delightful view Lisbon didn't realize he was getting and one he certainly wasn't about to enlighten her to. The woman was fully capable of wearing one of those terry cloth robes hanging in the closet to the pool instead and he didn't want that.

Watching Lisbon bumble about the room gathering her things, Jane studied every curve surreptitiously behind the rim of his cup. While she wasn't the most voluptuous woman he'd ever admired, Lisbon was nicely rounded for her petite frame. In fact, he wouldn't change a thing. If he did, she wouldn't be Lisbon. The hair, while necessary, was pushing it. Frankly, he couldn't wait until he had his dark haired termagant back again.

"Jane, you got any cash? I need to stop by the hotel shop and buy some suntan lotion. I don't think I have enough on me." Lisbon asked as she emerged from the bathroom toothbrush in hand.

"Yeah, what do you need?" She'd given him back the leftover money from their shopping excursion though he'd told her to keep it.

"I don't know. Maybe a ten?" Lisbon reemerged from the bathroom empty handed.

"Take twenty and buy a swim cap to protect your hair." Jane handed her the bill unaware she already had one in her pocket.

"That might be a good idea." Lisbon agreed as she tucked the money in the pocket of her cover up for emergencies.

"I'm going to get dressed and use one of the computers for a while. I'll join you if I can." Jane said as he rummaged through the closet selecting slacks and a shirt.

"You aren't going to contact the guys?" Lisbon asked stopping him where he stood.

"That wouldn't be wise. You know they could trace the email. I have other means in place to do that I'll share with you once it's safe." Jane reassured her.

"Okay. We'll talk later." Lisbon said as she opened the door.

"Yeah, we will. Enjoy your swim." Jane watched her close the door before tossing his shirt and slacks on the bed and heading for the bathroom.

He had a lot of work to do and a short time in which to do it. If he was lucky, he'd get to join Lisbon once he was done. It would be the last time either of them got to indulge in such a simple pleasure for a long time to come.

He knew Lisbon hoped for a quick resolution to their problem, that she'd actually convinced herself there would be one; but, he knew differently. Red John had amped the game up a few notches and he intended to win. If Lisbon thought what he'd done to Madeline was something, she hadn't seen anything yet. Getting her, and himself now that he'd so made his loyalties so uncompromisingly known, vindicated would be neither easy or quick. Things were bound to get messy before they were done.

#

Floating on her back, Lisbon studied the few guests sitting around the pool. She'd already talked to Amaliese in the hotel shop when the elderly lady asked if she was the pretty young woman married to that dark haired hunk she'd noticed in the restaurant last night. It was obvious to everyone he adored her. She was one lucky little thing and so on.

Then there was the couple in their mid-twenties who were obviously genuine honeymooners as they couldn't stop groping each other. Lisbon resisted the urge to walk over and tell they were risking a public lewd and lascivious behavior citation. The harassed mother with the three rowdy kids she felt sorry for. The husband openly leering her, she wanted to smack. Where was Jane when she needed him? Other than that, she was having a good time swimming and sunning and swimming again. She'd have to remember to thank Jane for picking this place. In spite of the gravity of their situation, the uncomfortably intimate moments between them, and his being the general pain in the butt she expected, Lisbon was enjoying herself. She really was.

Speaking of the golden, no, dark haired devil, she'd thought that key he'd used to that CBI gym locker he'd used to fool Sally Carter had more to do with access to the showers than anything else. It seemed she was wrong. Jane had definitely taken advantage of a lot more than those showers recently and the result was mighty fine. If she'd thought so last night when he'd paraded around in little more than his pajama bottoms, she knew so now watching him dive cleanly into the pool.

Surfacing beside Lisbon, Jane was careful not to splash her too much. She had three brothers and she knew how to deal with such things he was sure. She could probably drown him with one hand. He honestly didn't want to find out.

"Hello, Sweetheart, I wasn't sure I'd get through in time to join you." Jane said as he leaned over to give Lisbon a sweet, non-offensive hello kiss that made her tingle straight to her toes.

"I wasn't either." Wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist without thinking, Lisbon felt a full body blush at catching the knowing smile from Amaliese and another elderly guest.

Did everyone know they were supposedly honeymooners? She was certainly helping them along by her subconscious actions. Lisbon decided, yeah, probably if they'd been anywhere near the restaurant last night and that lady seated by Amaliese had been seated three tables over. Moving to disentangle herself from Jane's embrace and her own intertwining limbs, Lisbon was somewhat surprised to find herself held tightly in place.

"Your reaction is perfect." Jane whispered in her ear as he kissed her cheek and released her keeping a light hold on one wrist. "I'm going to swim a bit then we need to leave."

"I'll wait for you over there and get a little sun." Lisbon motioned in the direction of her lounge chair.

"That sounds like a plan." Jane agreed mildly surprised when she leaned over to give him a light kiss well aware of the eyes watching them. That Lisbon was beginning to get into the flow of things was good. That he enjoyed kissing her was even better. That he wasn't wasting any time pondering why that might be was a given.

Swimming to the other end of the pool, Jane watched Lisbon haul herself out of the water and rise to her feet resisting the urge to wolf whistle. She'd hurt him bad when they got back to their room if he did. He'd take a nice swim instead. It was much safer and far less painful than any of the actions he was contemplating….

A half hour later, Jane hauled himself out of the pool in front of Lisbon's chaise and accepted the towel she offered. Offering his hand, he pulled her to her feet and draped an arm around her cover up clad figure. Saying their good-byes they headed for the lobby and towards their room.

"You get ready first as it'll take you longer than me. I'll order breakfast while you do. Wear jeans and a tank or a tee shirt. You'll be more comfortable. Bring your jean jacket in case it gets cool." Jane said before stopping in front of their room and sliding the key card into the reader. "We'll stop in Albuquerque and probably stay there for the night." Jane watched Lisbon select a jeweled tank top to go with a pair of jeans with a noticeable line of bling on the back pockets.

He was a little surprised to see Lisbon letting her inner wild woman out and he liked it. He also noted the sexy undergarments she was trying to hide. Well, well, well, there was more to the lady cop than he'd known. Or she'd been channeling her inner Ginger when she made her purchases. Jane knew better than to make any smart aleck comments that would be poorly received. He'd simply admire her shapely derriere in silence.

"Sounds good." Lisbon said as she headed for the shower.

"Is there anything you'd like other than a big pot of coffee?" Jane asked as poked through the suitcase deciding what he wanted to wear.

"Surprise me." The door closed behind her.

Forty-five minutes later, Jane opened the door to room service as he watched Lisbon do a final check through to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything in the back of a drawer or in the farthest corner of the shallow closet. Tipping the server and escorting him out the door, Jane watched Lisbon pour a fresh cup of coffee. Removing the first silver dome, Jane displayed a plate of fluffy pumpkin pancakes with sides of eggs and bacon. Lifting the other dome, he uncovered Eggs Benedict.

"Take your pick, Lisbon." Jane smiled as she made a beeline for the whipped cream laden pancakes.

"Seriously, Jane, pancakes with greasy bacon?" Lisbon asked as she slathered the stack with enough real maple syrup to induce a sugar coma.

Jane resisted the urge to shudder as he poured a cup of tea from the squatty pot. Taking a sip, he decided it was adequate. Lisbon's was much better.

"Your favorite, right, with a spicy pumpkin twist." Jane stated.

"Yeah, my favorite, and this is really good. Here, try some." Lisbon held out a bite that Jane accepted as he could find no way to get out of it. The nibble was quite delicious in spite of being drowned in a bath of maple syrup.

"Delicious. Now I suppose you want a bite of mine?" Jane said not sure he wanted to share even a bite of his epicurean delight with a heathen still locked in the throes of such juvenile passions.

"That's only fair." Lisbon agreed accepting the bite he reluctantly offered.

"Lisbon, you ready for this? We're less than 600 miles and two days from being under the microscope for however long it takes to clear your name." Jane looked her straight in the eyes daring Lisbon to lie to him.

"Yeah, Jane, I'm ready. I don't really have a choice." Lisbon agreed.

"No, you don't. Once we're settled and things are running smoothly, I'll contact the team. We'll get to work clearing your name. Before our cover is set, I won't. We don't need any outside distractions until we have being Amber and Jack down pat." Jane had obviously given a lot of thought to what for all intents and purposes was a long con being enacted on his fellow carneys. Lisbon wondered briefly how he felt about betraying his own.

"I think that's a wise move." Lisbon agreed again.

"Good, now finish your breakfast before it gets cold." Jane said as he snagged a maple soaked bite of pancake narrowly escaping getting forked in the process.

"Jane, since when did you start wearing jeans and polo shirts?" Lisbon had done a double take when he'd walked out of the bathroom after his shower wearing jeans and a polo in a beautiful shade of teal that did something arresting to his eyes.

"Since I ran off with my boss a couple of days ago." Jane replied as he took another sip of tea leaving Lisbon sputtering in her coffee.

#

Seven and a half long hours of nothing but mesas, plateaus, flatlands and Mentalist stories later, Lisbon was surprised when Jane suddenly flipped his right turn signal and pulled into the mall she'd been sure they were driving pass. Pulling into the West parking lot, he turned right and followed the curve of the road until he suddenly pulled into a parking place.

"You can't be serious." Lisbon said eyeballing the silver 31' silver travel trailer attached to an equally silver dually truck taking up the deserted parking spaces beside them.

"Yes, Lisbon, I'm perfectly serious." Jane confirmed.

Lisbon did not want to know how yet another vehicle complete with a shiny new sizeable attachment suddenly appeared at their disposal. She was pretty sure the other abandoned vehicles had been collected by their rightful owners by now in exactly the same condition they'd been received if one didn't count a few hundred additional miles on the odometer. It was either the generosity of grateful past clients, called in favors, or shameless threats that had gotten them what they needed in such a short period of time. As to which it actually was, Lisbon didn't know. Her partner in crime wasn't volunteering and she wasn't asking. Some things were better left unsaid.

"You're going to enjoy this for the first few days." Jane said as he once again pressed numbers into the keypad of the dually and removed two sets of keys from beneath the seat. "By next week, you'll be ready to kill me."

"I'm already ready to kill you. What else is new?" Lisbon watched Jane unlock the door and motion her inside.

The first thing that struck her was the new leather smell. The second was Jane wasn't lying when he said they'd be living in a sardine can. A nicely appointed, attractively decorated, brand new, very _intimate _sardine can. Lisbon resisted the urge to run screaming out the door as she noted the too small looking queen sized bed filling the back room. She so wasn't looking forward to sharing that with Jane as she knew she must. If she awoke with his hand on her breast in the hotel room, what would she wake up to him trying in their "home?" The 'he was asleep excuse' was growing pretty thin already. Jane was going to cross a certain line and when he did, she'd nail him one. That was a promise.

Taking in the onyx leather couch at one end of the trailer and the onyx leather benches in the galley, Lisbon decided from the looks of things they were doing well for a carny and his waitress lover. Maybe they were doing a little too well to blend into the crowd. Surely their fellow workers would be suspicious from the start.

"Jane, how are we going to explain a couple of drifters having a decked out rig like this?" Lisbon asked as she opened cabinet doors under the sink in the galley.

"We stick to the truth. I won it in a poker game. Well, the funds to purchase it." Jane replied as he took in the black leather couches.

"That's b.s. and you know it." Lisbon replied as she poked at the three burner stove and looked in the oven. She resisted the urge to say 'wow' at the amenities. They even had a microwave and a convection microwave at that.

"I assure you it's not. I won a quarter mill in a high stakes poker game while I was in Vegas. Money I stashed into an account out there that's untraceable." Jane informed her as he checked out the refrigerator.

"An account you got under a false name." Lisbon decided the shower was a fair size all things considered.

"Jackson Jones if you must know." Jane confirmed.

"What does that have to do with all of this?" Lisbon asked.

"I got online at the hotel this morning while you were swimming, found the trailer we wanted, and placed a telephone call. I told the nice salesman my desires, transferred the funds, signed the paperwork electronically, and the dealership did the rest.

It didn't hurt that there was a Dodge dealership next door. I simply called the salesman my RV friend recommended and did the same. The salesman was more than willing to deliver our rig here at the appointed time and leave it." Jane said.

"There's more to this story than you're telling." Lisbon said.

"If there is, I'm sure it's more you don't want to know." Jane agreed.

And while he'd done nothing that would get them in any kind of legal trouble, merely sins of omission and embellishment, Lisbon would not approve of his actions. He was sure of that.

"I'm sure you're right. I can't believe you bought an RV and truck you won't need after this." Lisbon felt a stab of guilt that he'd spent yet another large sum of money on her he didn't need to spend.

"Hey, it was easy money I don't need. Besides, who said anything about me not wanting this after we're done? I might decide to take off after Red John is caught. I don't really know." Jane said. "The worst case scenario is I can always sell it. None of that really matters at the moment. We need a place to live when we get where we're going and we have one. Actually, Jack and Amber do. Check out the paperwork in the drawer by the sink." Jane poked around in the storage under the leather couches.

Opening the drawer, Lisbon pulled out the bill of sale clearly stating the nice tin can surrounding her belonged to Jackson Jones living at 1734 Claremont Drive in some town she'd never heard of in Nevada.

"I suppose that's true." Lisbon said. "It's a very nice travel trailer."

"It's a sardine can. If you don't think so now, you will in a couple of days. There really isn't room to cuss a cat in here." Jane said from experience.

"I'll take your word for it." Lisbon said.

"Lisbon, if anyone asks stick to the truth. All of this is the results of winning a high stakes poker game in Vegas. It's a believable story or it will be once I play a few hands with the boys." Jane informed her. "There won't be any doubt I play the circuit."

"Yeah, I'm sure it will. I think we need to get our stuff and hit the road." Lisbon suggested.

"Probably so. I'll get the suitcases while you clean out the front seat. Make sure you get everything." Jane agreed as he held the door open for Lisbon.

A few minutes later, Lisbon laid her purse and the manila envelope on the galley table. She'd looked in the glove compartment and under the seats thoroughly. She'd checked the backseat and under the floor mats. Jane had checked the cab behind her as she checked the trunk after him to ensure they'd left nothing incriminating behind. Not only that, they'd thoroughly wiped down every surface that might harbor any kind of prints. Fortunately, they were at the back of the parking lot where their actions were shielded from view by the travel trailer.

Neither was overly concerned their vehicle would ever end up in the hands of the police; but, just in case, it was wise to be prepared for all contingencies. Lisbon watched Jane stow their suitcases under the bed and the manila envelope in one of the cabinets by the bed. Grabbing her purse a few minutes later, she followed Jane back out into the parking lot.

Watching him lock the trailer door, Lisbon didn't mind all that much when he draped an arm casually around her waist escorting her over to the truck. Watching him click the button and open the door, Lisbon pulled herself up in the vehicle glad Jane was driving the behemoth and not her. She was almost at the point where she was ready to take back every disparaging thing she'd ever said about her companion's driving abilities or lack thereof.

"There's an RV park about a hundred and fifty miles down the road where I think we'll stop for the night. Tomorrow will be a long day; but, we can make it if we get an early start. We can load up on food at a market in route." Jane said as he exited the mall onto the interstate. They could buy enough to get by tonight and stop at the mall in Amarillo tomorrow to buy the rest of what they needed to make their travel trailer a home.

"Tell me another story, Jane. I want to hear another one about the petting zoo goat." Lisbon adjusted her seat slightly before settling back comfortably.

"You want to hear about Gomez the clepto pygmy goat, do you? I hadn't even finished telling you about the truly haunted house and you want to change the subject. You really need to do something about your attention span, Lisbon. If I didn't know better I'd think you were ADD." Jane said as he merged into traffic.

"Shush, Jane. I think I'd like to hear the one about Gomez, the tortoise, and Eloise's knitting needles again." Lisbon said.

"Fine, be that way. When Gomez was three and about this high, Eloise used to do her knitting by the petting zoo…." Jane settled in for the long winding tale.

#

Carrying the last grocery bag into the galley, Lisbon figured Jane should be about done lighting pilot lights and hooking up all of the outside pieces and parts. It was something she'd have to learn soon and wasn't looking forward to. In the interim, she'd brought in their purchases from the market and dry good store. They were one of only about twenty RV's in the park over half of which were more expensive than their own so they didn't stand out in the crowd.

That was a blessing as no one would really remember them especially since they'd signed in as Kimberly and Jonathan Yates. It didn't really matter what they called each other in the privacy of their home as none of the units were right on top of each other so there were no ears to overhear. All in all, it was a nice place with the expected amenities of a washerette and communal showers. There was even a small grocery store with basic food stuff and the usual touristy trinkets.

Quickly putting the groceries away, Lisbon washed the basic collection of pots and utensils they'd bought in the supermarket. Jane had informed her they would be buying a full set of pots and pans along with everything else they would need to set up house at one of the malls in Amarillo. It would be their last shopping expedition before they met up with Sammy and Pete at the future sight of the Oklahoma County Fair. She needed to be thinking about all the things she needed to buy to make it through cooler to much colder weather. Lisbon already had a list in mind and she wouldn't feel nearly as guilty accepting Jane's largess this time around.

"I'm all done." Jane said as he closed the door behind him before walking into the bathroom to wash his hands. "What do you need me to do to get dinner on the table?"

"As we're eating healthy, why don't you open the bag of chips?" Lisbon mocked as she unwrapped the massive sub with nothing remotely heart healthy on it. Slicing the massive sandwich in half and setting the two halves on separate paper plates, she carried her bounty to the small dining table. Turning around, she swiped a couple of sodas from the fridge and handed one to Jane. "We aren't having tea tonight. We're being bad. It's all chips and sodas and subs. If you're a good boy, we might share that pint of ice cream in bed later." Lisbon said as she slid down on the leather bench across from Jane.

"That's certainly an offer I can't refuse." Jane said salaciously.

"My favorite show comes on in an hour and that's where the flat screen is." Lisbon continued deliberately ignoring the waggling eyebrows. "Since you seem to be super glued to my side for the moment, I just assumed you'd be there too."

"You'd assume right." Jane said seriously as he reached across the table to take her hand and wrap his fingers through hers.

While they acted like nothing was wrong, neither one of them was that comfortable out of the sight of the other. Until they got where they were going, they were vulnerable to anything Red John might choose to pull. Jane was under no illusions Red John couldn't find them if he wanted to. He just didn't think he was looking. He knew he'd won this round. When they started fighting back would be a different story. He could only hope the constant moving around would be enough to keep them off his radar and buy them much need anonymity. Only time would tell.

"Good. Now let's finish eating so we can get cleaned up and changed. We still have to make the bed." Lisbon reminded him.

"I'll do that while you clean up here." Jane said as they continued to eat one handed.

A few minutes, and a lot of laughter later, Jane headed for the bedroom with sheets in hand while Lisbon tossed their paper plates in the trash can under the sink and wiped the galley table down. Swiping her tank and shorts from the drawer they'd been stowed in earlier, Lisbon disappeared into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. She wasn't at all surprised to exchange places with Jane a few minutes later. Nor was she surprised when he emerged from the bathroom wearing the familiar pajama bottoms sans the matching top. He was pushing the envelope; but, she'd let it pass this time. Her show was coming on and she didn't want to miss a second of the banter between the crime novelist and the NYPD detective.

Smirking, she watched Jane crawl up the bed awkwardly. They were in pretty tight quarters; but, she'd get used to it. Jane ought to already be as he'd lived a number of years this way. Watching him settled in, Lisbon inched over to snuggle against his side. It had been a long day full of firsts and she was a little unsettled. It felt good to have a familiar presence to hold on to. Resting her head against his chest, she laid her arm lightly across his chest confident Jane would move it if he was uncomfortable.

As for Jane, he could only assume by the comfortable way Lisbon snuggled against his side resting her head on his chest, that she was remembering his admonishments from earlier in the day. She was obviously in Amber mode, or maybe Kimberly as that was who they'd signed in as, and doing quite well at it. As long as she continued in this vein, they'd do just fine. No one would doubt they were lovers, even Sammie and Pete.

They might wonder when it happened and if they were lovers when they'd first visited and were hiding it. But, they'd now fully understand why he was willing to take such a risk for this woman. Or they'd think they did. As they'd suddenly understand why Lisbon had let Danny go when she shouldn't have. That would go a long way in cementing their legitimacy in the eyes of their fellow carnies. It really didn't matter that none of it was true. As all good conmen knew, getting the illusion right was most of the battle. The rest seemed to fall into place once that was done.

Resting his cheek against her head, Jane could only wish the woman in his arms was simply being Lisbon to his Jane instead.


	4. Chapter 4

Cramming the mascara wand back in the tube and twisting the lid, Lisbon surveyed her appearance one last time in the mirror and decided she'd do in a pinch. She was wearing another pair of bejeweled jeans, a vivid purple top that exposed her shoulders, and short black boots along with a matching black belt she'd feel more comfortable wearing if her trusty handgun and badge were attached instead of hidden under one of the dinette benches. Her makeup was appropriately bright and her hair pulled back in a curly ponytail.

She still wasn't used to seeing herself with this hair color and she still hadn't totally embraced the woman going with it. There was an undeniable disconnect between her soul and the emerald eyes staring back through her reflection. Perhaps it was because the changes had been foisted upon her out of necessity and not accepted freely by choice. Or maybe it was that she now sported a color she wouldn't have chosen for herself. Or maybe it was nothing more than she associated the pretty red gold tresses with Ginger and Kimberly Yates in passing and not with Teresa Lisbon.

It wasn't that she was unattractive this way either. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even she could see that. Jane had picked a becoming hair color and the changes he'd made in her hair style were flattering. It was that the apparition gazing back at her simply wasn't _her_ by any wild stretch of the imagination. Or anyone she'd ever wanted to be.

She'd been Teresa Lisbon, Special Agent, and leader of the Serious Crimes Unit of the CBI long enough for her profession to become her identity. Actually, that wasn't entirely true either. It had nothing to do with the CBI and everything to do with the reality she was a cop and a good cop at that. All the rest was her title. Unfortunately she was being forced to become someone entirely different and that wasn't as easy as one might think. Even under these circumstances.

As if all of that wasn't enough, there was something else she'd yet to get used to.

She wasn't used to waking up entangled in Jane though that was an experience far more pleasant than dying her hair. For one thing, it had been much too long since she'd awoken with a man in her bed even if the circumstances were far too innocent. For another, her bedmate smelled pleasantly of warm man flesh and citrusy body wash first thing in the morning. Not to mention rumpled Jane was easy on the eyes even if he had more cow licks than an electrocuted porcupine. Added to that he was a firmly muscled presence against her body she found irresistible. She didn't even mind his rather endearing habit of snuffling against her neck in his sleep. It beat the heck out of snoring. Right, she needed to stop that train of thought right there.

Putting her makeup and hair brush neatly away in a drawer, Lisbon opened the partition and exited the bathroom. From the closed bedroom door, Jane still wasn't dressed yet. Oh, well, so much for men taking less time than women to get ready. He'd blown that myth to smithereens. Meandering into the kitchen, Lisbon opened a cabinet to stare at four bags of whole coffee beans. The most pressing point of the moment was deciding which flavor titillated her senses this morning. Hearing the bedroom partition behind her, Lisbon closed the cabinet door instead.

"I will never get used to seeing you in jeans." She commented as Jane wandered out of the bedroom clothed in a heathered short sleeve black dress tee and well fitting jeans.

She didn't miss that he was wearing boots and a plain leather belt similar to her own either. Shaking herself, Lisbon decided she was definitely in an Alternate Universe now. Jane did not wear jeans. He did not wear black belts and expensive boots. He did not do sexy casual under any circumstances. The man rocked three piece suits with familiar brown shoes. That was what he did. Lisbon resisted the urge to ask who he was and what he'd done with her Jane.

Shaking her head, she decided this other was so not right. Not right at all. Not in any universe and never in hers.

"Lisbon, honestly, while I'd rather be wearing a suit, we both know doing so would give the game away." Jane said.

"Yeah, I guess it would. But this is so not right." Lisbon said again.

"You need to understand something. I wasn't born wearing a suit. There was a time in my life when I didn't." Jane informed her of what she should already know. "A long time ago before I ever thought about becoming _him_." Jane said wistfully.

"I still don't believe it." Lisbon said. "Maybe when you were a little kid. Not since you became a man."

Lisbon wondered briefly if Angela had had some part in adopting the familiar suits. Or if his manner of dress was part of the persona he'd eventually developed over the course of his storied career. Maybe she'd ask him one day. Or better yet, she'd ask Sammy and Pete. She was sure one or the other would spill his secrets. Especially if they accepted her presence as she hoped they would.

"Besides, you never became "him." You might have perfected a persona over the years; but, you were always Jane." Lisbon said with conviction.

"Well, believe it. Not doing so is a ridiculous waste of common sense. As for the other, you may be right. I was always into showmanship." Jane said as he opened the refrigerator door. "We need to get a move on. You butter the toast and stick it in the oven while I get the bacon and eggs ready. I'll even let you select the coffee this morning." He'd already filled the water bin in the coffee maker in the corner by the sink and placed the filter in place last night.

"What, no tea?" Lisbon asked as she smeared butter over a slice of toast as she watched Jane sit his bounty on the other end of the counter top.

Space was tight, but they were both getting their jobs done efficiently. As soon as she slid the pan in the oven she'd get out of Jane's way giving him more room to move about as he cooked. She'd grind the coffee over on the galley table in the nifty grinder they'd bought, dump it in the filter, and flip the switch. After she got the coffee started, she might go sit on the couch and look out the window. The RV Park was well landscaped and the flowers lovely.

"As much as I hate to say it, I need to save the tea for our more private moments. It's as much of a dead giveaway as the three piece suits." Jane said as he watched the bacon begin to sizzle before cracking the first egg into a bowl. The toast and bacon would need to be almost done before he scrambled the eggs. Reaching back into the refrigeration he grabbed a sprig or two or herbs and minced them on a paper plate mentally adding a cutting board to list of "to buy" items in his head.

"I think you might be right." Lisbon leaned over to kiss his cheek in passing a few minutes later.

"What was that for?" Jane asked as he contemplated whether it was time to flip the bacon.

"Thank you. You've given up so much for me including your guilty pleasures. I want you to know it's appreciated." Lisbon said in passing. "Oh, and maybe I'm getting into character."

"Then I think this would be more appropriate." Jane snagged Lisbon around the waist and pulled her in for a more believable tonsil flicking kiss.

"Don't push your luck, Buddy." Lisbon said not sure whether to laugh that she'd given him an inch and he'd taken a mile as usual or smack him for making her enjoy it.

"I don't see you fighting to get away." Jane kept his arm around her while he efficiently turned nicely browned strips of bacon.

"Maybe kissing you isn't so bad." Lisbon said wanting to bite her tongue off for letting the words slip past her lips.

"Maybe kissing you isn't so bad either." Jane rejoined.

"But not a good idea." Lisbon reminded him.

"Since we don't really have a choice, I'd say we enjoy the game and worry about the consequences later." Jane suggested as he gave her another kiss before letting her go.

"You might have a point." Lisbon said as she set the table wondering the whole while what she was getting into.

The lines between Lisbon and Jane and their alter egos were getting blurry much too fast. They already danced on dangerous ground and were flirting much too close to forbidden edges. While Jane didn't seem to mind, she wasn't sure she didn't feel differently. One of them had to remain the voice of reason. Jane tended to throw caution to the wind much too easily.

"Lisbon, we have a ten year foundation. I think our relationship can withstand a little judicious exploration." Jane said quietly as he scooped cheesy eggs on their plates.

"It's withstood everything else." Lisbon agreed as she made two strong cups of coffee.

"Yeah, it has." Jane sat the plate with the bacon and toast on the table. "While I don't think either of us wants anything more at the moment, I don't think a few kisses are amiss."

"Perhaps not." There was reluctance in her voice.

Carrying the steaming cups to the table while Lisbon returned the cream to the refrigerator, Jane watched her slide down on the leather bench across from him. Lifting the red mug, she took a long draft of coffee before setting the cup back on the table. While her first cup of the day was normally something she savored in solitude, there was something pleasant about sharing the moment.

"We need to eat and get on the road." Deciding not to confuse Lisbon any more than she already was, Jane changed the subject to what they should be discussing. "We have roughly 400 miles to cover today." Jane informed her as he took a bite of fluffy egg and decided they were cooked just right. "Fully a ten hour day or longer counting stopping in Amarillo. I'm sure you've figured out it takes longer hauling one of these things. How much longer depends on a lot of things like traffic and the weather. I've made a list of what we'll need to make this tin can a home and the basics we'll need in terms of colder weather wear. As tempting as it is, we don't want to buy one thing more than we can comfortably store."

Lisbon flashed Jane a questioning look. He kept mentioning cold weather clothes when common sense dictated they wouldn't be going anywhere there was snow and ice. That didn't make sense. Cooler weather, yes, she could see needing a jacket and a sweater or two if they ran into crisp fall evenings. What he was alluding to didn't make sense at all.

"I don't think we'll need it; but, between the storage in the truck and the trailer we have enough room to prepare for any emergency we might run into. Lisbon, as much as you don't want to think about the possibility, we may find ourselves passing through much colder areas if we have to leave the circuit or if we choose to take a different route in joining up with them." Jane gave voice to what he knew Lisbon had yet to consider.

There was no way to know where they would go before they were done or how long they would be on the run. It was best to be prepared for any contingency. That they were mobile was in their favor. That he'd seen that their truck and trailer were prepared for any conditions was in their favor, too. That he had a supply of license plates secreted away was even more in their favor as well. Hopefully it would never become necessary for Lisbon to find out he had them. How he'd gotten them was something she would never sanction.

"You don't think we're going to get out of this any time soon do you, Jane?" Lisbon asked already knowing what his answer would be.

"This is Red John we're talking about, Lisbon. What do you think?" Jane asked.

"I think we may never get out of this at all." Lisbon responded.

"Oh, we'll get out of it. I'm just not sure it will happen before he's caught." Jane reassured her.

"What if he's never caught?" Lisbon voiced the concern they'd all had for years.

"He'll get caught, Lisbon. We wouldn't be in this predicament if we weren't getting much too close for his comfort. If he'd wanted to end the game, he'd have killed you." Jane watched Lisbon recoil at his words. "He doesn't. He wants to make it more interesting from his perspective and temporarily shut us down until he can completely change the playing field from mine. What better way than to send our lives into turmoil than framing you and getting me away from the CBI?

It wouldn't surprise me if all of this suddenly disappears down the road and we're welcomed back with open arms courtesy of Red John. The only down side is we'll find ourselves back at square one with all the headway I've made recently totally useless. He'll have had time to rearrange his organization from top to bottom and from the inside out.

All I can really say at the moment is just because we aren't in Sacramento doesn't mean I'm not working on catching Red John and getting us out of this mess. I, for one, don't really mind the change of scenery. It's somewhat invigorating. It's also fortunate Lorelei had reached the end of her usefulness before this happened. She'd begun repeating herself in a most annoying manner." Jane said.

"You almost make him sound like God." Lisbon commented ignoring the Lorelei observations suddenly not feeling so hungry anymore.

"He's certainly not God, Lisbon. Not the one you worship. He's an immensely talented, insanely well connected manipulator who also happens to be a narcissistic serial killer." Jane said quietly. "That's quite the opponent without being a deity."

"Yeah, I guess it is." Lisbon dribbled wildflower honey across her toast before forcing herself to take a bite.

"Men like that can be beaten as they're only men." Jane reminded her. "It simply takes time and persistence and learning your prey."

"It's been ten years." Lisbon quietly reminded him.

"It's been longer than that for me." Jane quietly corrected her. "He's been at it at least two years longer than that. It's time to stop him and move on with our lives don't you think?"

Glancing briefly at the hand still gripping hers, Lisbon refused to go anywhere near that thought beyond putting a murderer behind bars. Actually, this one she'd prefer to kill. But, Jane didn't have to know that. Some secrets were better left unsaid. After the last few weeks, she finally understood Bosco's unmentionable actions so long ago and Jane's unrelenting determination to do the same for the very first time.

"Yeah, I do." Lisbon said as she rose to her feet. "I'll wash the pans and clean up in here while you do whatever needs to be done out there. It's almost seven-thirty. We need to get a move on if we're going to make it to Oklahoma City on time."

"Sounds like a plan." Jane released her hand as he rose to his feet. With a little luck, they'd be on the road in a half hour and hopefully to Amarillo in three give or take a few minutes due to factors beyond their control. "I'll take care of everything out there while you do this. Hand me the trash and I'll throw it away."

Lisbon watched him walk out the door before making a final cup of coffee and tossing their plates away. Quickly washing the bowls and pans, Lisbon dried each one before putting them away. At the rate she was going, she could join Jane outside. In fact, she just might do that. Lisbon put the dishcloth she'd been wiping the counters and table down with back on the sink before bounding out the door.

"How's it going?" She asked watching Jane close the outside storage bin.

"I'm all done. You can help me set up when we get where we're going." He said careful not to mention their final destination in case big ears were listening to what they didn't want them to hear.

"Sounds like a plan." Lisbon eased into him as Jane draped his arm around her waist careful not to touch her with his dirty hands.

"Open the door and we'll get cleaned up." Jane watched Lisbon do as he asked before stepping into the trailer and washing his hands in the bathroom. "We need to make sure everything is secure before we can leave."

Wandering around the trailer, Jane showed Lisbon how to ensure all the cabinets and drawers were tightly closed so they wouldn't find their contents dumped on the floor at their next stop. He also tucked the coffee maker neatly under the sink and closed the toilet lid. Glancing about their home one last time, he decided everything was good for the moment though he was sure he'd discover something he'd forgotten at their next stop. Jane only hoped it wasn't something breakable. It had been a long time since he'd lived this way.

"We're good." Jane said as he opened the door and followed down the steps. Closing the door, he listened to the click and glanced at the keypad one last time. "I'm going to check the connections one last time."

"You need any help?" Lisbon hesitated.

"You can get in the truck. I'll only be a minute." Jane's attention was already on the hitch.

"Okay." Lisbon watched him examining the wires and chains connection the trailer to the truck deciding there was so much more to Jane than met the eye.

It wasn't that she hadn't always known that, she had. He just continued to surprise her after all of these years. Shaking her head, Lisbon opened the door and grabbed the grip hauling herself onto the gray leather seat. She wasn't really all that surprised to see Jane doing exactly the same thing on the opposite side of the vehicle. In spite of their squabbles, they were in sync most of the time.

"Lisbon, give me your left hand." Jane said as he fastened his seat belt.

"Why?" Lisbon asked as she complied anyway.

"So I can remove this." Jane said as he pulled the emerald and diamond band from her finger. "Kimberly and Jonathan Yates are gone. Amber and Jack aren't married as you already know. It wouldn't do for you to walk around sporting a wedding band." Lisbon was surprised at how bereft she felt without the now familiar prop. She'd gotten much too used to having that ring on her finger in less than a couple of days and that was a faintly disturbing reality. "Never forget the devil is in the details. That's where most people trip up and we don't want that to happen." Jane returned the ring to the black velvet box he'd pulled from the pouch on the side of his door. "You need to remove mine as well. It goes in there." Jane proffered a second small box to Lisbon.

"Okay." Pulling the ring off his finger, Lisbon decided the gesture felt far stranger than sliding the ring on his finger had. "Here." She stuck the band in the slot and watched Jane click the box shut before sliding it into the same pouch he'd slid the other. "Are you going to be all right with a bare finger?" Lisbon asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Jane said as he shifted into drive.

"Oh, I don't know. Why would it feel strange? Maybe because you haven't had your wedding band off once in the ten years I've known you until we replaced it with that one." Lisbon said hoping to goodness he'd not taken it off with Lorelei. That thought would hurt more than she wanted to admit.

"I can't very well wear a wedding ring while we're playing lovers. It wouldn't look right." Jane reminded her.

"While I understand that, I want to make sure you're okay with the change." Lisbon said.

"Yeah, Lisbon, I'm fine with the change. It's long overdue." Jane said quietly.

"Then I'll take your word for it." Lisbon said as she mentally called herself out for being an ostrich burying her head in the sand over not pursuing that one.

"You do that. Oh, and another thing, forget the Lisbon and Jane. From this point on, you're Amber and I'm Jack. We can't use any other names. Not in public. Our freedom, perhaps our lives, depends on it." Jane said.

He wouldn't expect Lisbon to be her alter ego in the privacy of their home. It would be too much with all of the other changes. She wasn't prepared to become someone else 24/7 even temporarily. Lisbon was having enough trouble as it was and they were just beginning their life of deception. The woman was too much of a straight shooter.

"What happens if someone stumbles on those rings?" Lisbon asked.

"They'll probably ask Jack if he's considering popping the question since he's gone to enough trouble to buy the rings. I've already told you carnies are nosy people." Jane stated the logical conclusion. "I'd expect nothing less."

"And is he?" Lisbon wanted to slap herself for playing along with Jane's silly game and asking the stupid question he was luring her to ask.

"Yeah, Amber, I think he is." Jane said as he looked in his rear view mirror preparing to merge into traffic.

"Then Amber's in for quite a surprise." Lisbon said.

"Yeah, I think she is." Jane said as he eased into the flow of traffic not at all disturbed by their conversation. "Hypothetically, how do you think Amber would respond to such a question?"

"She wouldn't have a whole lot choice but to accept would she? Otherwise she'd blow her cover." Lisbon said.

"Then we better hope nobody finds those rings or Jack might hold her to it." Jane responded.

"Shush, Jane, we aren't having this conversation." Lisbon said. "Amber and Jack are make-believe."

"Jane doesn't live here anymore." Jane quietly corrected her deciding he'd rattled Lisbon enough for the moment.

He'd unintentionally rattled himself as well. He was slipping up entirely too much for comfort. If he didn't watch it, Lisbon was going to call him on his runaway mouth in a way he couldn't wriggle out of without doing serious damage to their relationship which was the last thing he wanted to do. It had all started with that "Love you, Lisbon" in the heat of the moment when he'd not been positive he'd make it out of that con alive and progressed from there.

"Fine. We aren't having this conversation any more, Jack." Lisbon responded.

"No, I don't suppose we are. Don't let me forget we need to hit a beauty supply before we leave Amarillo. We'll stop at that RV Park on the outskirts to put our purchases away, rest, and take advantage of the amenities for a while. While we're there, we'll tint and trim your hair again. It won't take that long. I might do a little work on mine as well. I honestly don't think Amber and Jack need to show up looking like Kimberly and Jonathan Yates."

Actually, he'd pay for an overnight slip; but they wouldn't be coming back once they left. The owners wouldn't care if their plans changed. They'd be fully compensated for a few hours use.

"Whatever you think is best." It would do no good to protest she really didn't want to see yet another woman staring back at her when she'd yet to get used to the first. In this instance she couldn't help thinking Jane knew best. Lisbon wondered again how Jane knew so much about cutting and coloring hair.

There was more to this than his carney background. She suspected Jane's past was more colorful than she knew. Than she ever wanted to know. She'd hazard a guess his cosmetology skills had more to do with being a con than anything else. He'd probably had to learn a lot about drastically changing his appearance to stay ahead of the law. Or more likely the marks who'd gladly take his head off or worse if they caught him.

"I think Amber would look nice with hair the same deep honey gold as her name with a few layers framing her face." Jane said already deciding the tints he would need to buy and the amount of each he would need to get the color he wanted.

He might add a few mahogany highlights to his own unruly mop. He wasn't sure; but, he'd know by the time they got where they were going. He knew as well that Lisbon's mind was churning trying to figure out all the possible ways he might have come by his unusual knowledge. As with most things, he wasn't enlightening her.

She didn't need to know about Felix's wife, Betty, who'd been a waitress and hairdresser before she'd run off with her carney husband-to-be in the hopes of escaping the boredom of small town life. Nor did she have to know about the young kid who'd gladly eaten her cookies and watched her every move in her portable beauty shop every chance he'd gotten. Coloring and cutting hair wasn't that difficult once he'd observed the basics. Or it wasn't for Patrick Jane. It hadn't hurt the long dead Betty had freely shared her secrets with him as well. They'd come in handy over the years. He'd had to do a quick change with his appearance more than once over the years.

"How do you think Sammy and Pete will act?" Lisbon asked the question weighing most heavily on her. Sammy had never really taken to her the first time around.

"Towards you? Pete will be fine. I think you impressed him with your tough lady cop persona. Sammy might be another matter. She's a harder nut to crack." Jane confirmed what she already suspected.

"Because she doesn't like cops and I'm a cop?" Lisbon asked.

"Yeah, that whole Cagney and Lacy had a baby named Pepper thing. Only she might take one look at you and change her mind. You don't look very much like a Pepper anymore." Jane said. "Just take it all in stride. Sammy will come around eventually. What you did for Danny went a long way in changing her opinion."

"I hope so." Lisbon said.

"I know so. Everything will be all right." Jane reached out to pat her hand. "We've got a long journey ahead of us. What do you want to talk about? Why don't you tell me some stories for a change?"

"What kinds of stories?" Lisbon asked not sure she liked the direction this conversation was heading.

"I don't know. Maybe whatever you want to share for starters. The more we know about each other, the easier it will be to pull this thing off." Jane said quietly knowing neither of them were the kind of people to share personal moments easily…especially not the painful ones.

"You want to hear about some more about the Police Academy?" Lisbon asked. There were a few amusing anecdotes she wouldn't mind telling.

It was the other stuff, the real sharing, she wasn't sure about. She'd never told anyone about her personal life. Not at the CBI. As Jane had never really told anyone much about Angela and Charlotte Anne, except the tiny bits and pieces he'd shared with her over the years. He'd told her a little more since they'd started their journey. Actually, he'd told her more than he had in the decade before.

Lisbon had started to get a feel for the kind of woman his late wife had been. More than she'd ever gotten from those files filled with sterile facts and observances. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, Angela was a lot like her in some very basic ways yet they were as different as night and day in others. As for Charlotte, she sounded like the precocious charmer Lisbon would expect any offspring of Jane's to be. Mentally shaking herself, she realized the rare gift she'd received in knowing even that much about Jane's most precious memories.

"That would be fine." A masculine voice broke into her thoughts.

"When I was about five and James was three, Mom took us to the park…" Lisbon began against her will unable to stop the words from tumbling forth.

Jane smiled widely at the thought none of that was anything Lisbon meant to say.

#

Staring at her reflection in the mirror one last time, Lisbon shook her head. Jane had done it again. He'd transformed her into yet a third woman she didn't know. Her hair was now a warm shade of burnished amber gold with long bangs and becoming layers softening her face. Placing both hands on the sink and bowing her head, Lisbon prayer she could handle all of these changes in so little time.

Her head was spinning and she was second guessing her every move already. She supposed it was only to be expected feeling so off kilter. She lived most of her life clearly defined by black and white though Jane had certainly introduced quite a few shades of gray. She'd just never expected to add shades of red and gold to already straining boundaries.

The only constant in her life at the moment was the man in the other room. He tethered her to reality when she felt swamped by the unknown. However, given her tether was Patrick Jane, Lisbon wasn't entirely convinced that was a good thing as his hold on reality was tenuous on occasion.

What had she gotten herself into? As usual, it was Red John's fault. Well, it was actually her own fault for getting obsessed with Rafferty and playing into their nemesis's hands; but she wasn't admitting that out loud. Jane already knew and he was trying to get her out of this mess of her own creation.

"We're out of time, Lisbon." Jane's voice penetrated her thoughts.

"I'll be there in a minute." Swiping a little more gloss over her lips, Lisbon slid the bathroom door open and walked into the living room.

"You look cute." Jane said.

"I don't look cute." Lisbon countered.

"Yeah, you do. But, I'll say you're a wiry little thing who looks fully capable of helping put one of those spinning tea cup rides together if you'd prefer." Jane responded.

"I think I like cute better." Lisbon said.

"Good, so do I. Everything's going to be alright." Jane reassured Lisbon as he studied her.

She was wearing plain jeans, a skimpy black tank that left nothing to the imagination, and the boots she'd taken such a strong shine to. With her new hair color and style, she looked cute. Actually, she looked wickedly delicious. Like some kind of kick butt fantasy Lisbon. But, he wasn't telling her that. She'd hurt him.

"I hope so." Lisbon said as he escorted her out the door.

"It will." Jane said as he wrapped his fingers through hers as they walked across the lot towards the familiar travel trailer Lisbon recognized from before.

Stepping up on the first step, Jane wasn't surprised when Pete opened the door letting them both inside. Blinking at the change in lighting, Lisbon watched the small woman watching her every move.

"Well, Sammy, what do you think?" Jane asked the woman as he noted the questioning look on her face.

"Where's Pepper?" Sammy asked.

"In Sacramento where she belongs." Jane answered. "This is Amber Rhodes."

"Well, Amber, it's nice to meet you I guess." Sammy said deciding maybe everything would be okay.

The cop wasn't looking or acting like a cop and as long as things remained that way she wouldn't spook the rest of the crew. As for Jane, any of the hand full of old timers still around who actually knew him would play along. They'd figure he was running a con and wouldn't want to spoil the game. He'd do the same for them…professional courtesy and all that.

It really didn't matter Jane had taken to consorting with the enemy now he was back in the fold. That he'd gone to such lengths to get Danny out of that bind a while back proved he was the same old Jane. That and they understood exactly why he'd taken up with law enforcement. Not a one of them was sure they wouldn't do the same under similar circumstances.

"Nice to meet you, Sammy." Lisbon shook the extended hand well aware that Pete was watching their interaction with an amused glint in his eyes. "You, too, Pete." Lisbon couldn't help breaking into a grin as she awkwardly shook his hand, too. She hoped she got to see Daisy soon.

"Jack, what do you say to we leave these two to get acquainted while we go see if you've still got the touch? There's a game starting right about now over at Stinky's place." Pete said with a pleased lilt to his tone satisfied everything was going to be just fine.

"I'd say lead the way. Let's go clean out some old timers. Don't wait up for me, Lisbon, I may be a while." Jane said as he leaned over to give her a kiss well aware she wasn't pleased at being abandoned at such a pivotal moment. "That's got nothing to do with Amber and Jack and everything to do with Lisbon and Jane." Jane whispered in her ear before walking out the door leaving a thoroughly confused female in his wake.

"Spill, Pepper." Sammy said as she sat two shot glasses on the table before them and filled them with tequila.

Looking into the curious eyes boring into hers, Lisbon decided for hundredth time since this adventure started that Jane was a dead man.

How was she supposed to explain the nature of their relationship to the woman sitting across from her when she was clueless herself?

"There isn't much to say." Lisbon said as she twirled the glass absently in her fingers not yet ready to knock back the alcohol.

"Oh, there's a lot to say." Sammy said meaningfully. "We wondered what was up when he brought you around the first time. We weren't sure; but, everyone knows that man wouldn't bring anyone around he didn't trust. That was revealing. Jane's still carney whether he accepts it or not and he doesn't trust anyone lightly. We weren't too sure about you; but, we knew it wasn't just one sided when you let Danny go."

"Nothing's up, Sammy. We're friends, I'm in trouble, we're trying to stop a serial killer, and we're playing roles." Lisbon said as she set her glass aside.

"Keep telling yourself that, Sugar. We knew Jane before and we knew Angela. We knew Jane and Angela together. It wasn't love at first sight or any of that nonsense you might expect. Their desire to escape this place was what drew them together before they ever started falling for each other. We watched it happen and we weren't surprised when they made their great escape.

Don't ever doubt they were happy together. Angela knew what she had in Jane and she loved him anyway. Not so much the part you respect but don't really understand; but, the good man that's also a part of him. She loved the good and the bad equally. Jane loved her partially because she was capable of accepting him for the man he is." Sammy knocked back her shot before sitting in silence gathering her thoughts.

"I know Jane loved his wife and daughter. I've never questioned that." Lisbon gazed at her shot before lifting it to her lips. She hoped this was the first and last one offered. She'd turn down another. Well, maybe she'd accept a second. But three would be pushing it on the rare days she decided to indulge. Lisbon wasn't about to sit across from Sammy and let the other woman get her drunk.

"He's got that same look in his eyes when he looks at you." Sammy said.

"No, he doesn't." Lisbon responded. "He definitely doesn't."

"He might not have said the words yet; but, anyone who knows Jane like we do can see it in his eyes." Sammy said with conviction. "I only hope you figure out your feelings before it's too late. Otherwise, this whole thing is going to be one unholy mess before it's over."

"I think we'll be all right before that happens." Lisbon said.

"You don't have to say anything more. I'll let Pete know you're all right in my book." Sammy pronounced her decision. She'd still keep her eye on the other woman. But she'd passed the first test and that would do for now.

Lisbon decided she couldn't ask for anything more at the moment.

#

Since I wanted to get this posted before work since it's been a few days, it has not really been edited so there are mistakes of every possible kind which I will fix when I get home. ~Calla


	5. Chapter 5

I want to say thank you to my guests for the reviews. They are greatly appreciated.

For the record, my poker game was written before Sunday night's episode so it wasn't inspired by that. It's just a harmless card game to bond with the guys.

That game on the show, however, smacks of Red John in some illusive way. Hardly harmless at all I should think. We'll see what happens.

Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to a certain ebil plunnie of the best kind. She reminds me in the nicest of ways that I've taken long enough. I hope you like it. :) ~Calla

#

"What do you say we crash a poker game, Pepper?" Sammy suggested as she put the half empty bottle of high quality tequila away.

"Lead the way." Lisbon rose to her feet glad the drinking had ended and carried the two shot glasses to the sink. "Do you mind?" She made short work of washing the glasses and putting them away at the other woman's negative nod.

While she'd hoped Sammy would be more forthcoming on Jane's past, that hadn't happened. She'd not volunteered a single thing he hadn't already shared over the years. The woman's lips were tightly sealed and Lisbon hadn't felt she'd earned the right to boldly ask any questions yet. Maybe she'd feel differently before too long when they'd grown more comfortable with each other. Lisbon couldn't help thinking they'd be spending a lot of time together in the future. It wasn't like there was a lot of woman around this place compared to the number of men and she certainly wouldn't mind. There was a lot to like about Sammy. She was direct with a scathing sense of humor.

"Those men aren't going to like women crashing their poker game. They're worse than a bunch of little boys guarding their tree house from the girl's in the neighborhood. I invite myself to play every once in a while just to shake them up." Sammy said as she strode purposefully across the grounds. "I'm not doing that tonight; but, I have a feeling they'll be asking you to pull up a chair before you're done. Do me a favor and beat the hell out of them. Pete included."

"I think I can do that." Lisbon said quite confident she could at least hold her own. She'd played cards with Jane a few times over the years and was fairly familiar with his repertoire of tricks. While he didn't do it all of the time, the man was fully capable of cheating and hiding it behind a charming smile.

"I think you probably can. The one thing you need to know is they cheat. Every last one of them. So don't be surprised if they take you to the cleaners." Sammy snorted at the thought that was why she rarely played with the boys. She'd rather spend her hard earned cash on other things.

"I think I can handle them." Lisbon confessed.

"I think you probably can. Stinky's trailer is that eyesore across the way." Sammy motioned in the direction of a white and brown striped monstrosity with a large plastic flamingo stuck in an old fashioned ceramic flower pot by the door. Lisbon was sure in passing that it was ocean sand anchoring the flamboyant yard ornament in place. "That man has to bring a little bit of Florida with him everywhere he goes. We tried to steal the ridiculous thing years ago but he won't part with it. Guards it with a shotgun if he thinks we're plotting something." Sammy harrumphed at the thought.

Looking around her as they walked across the yard, Lisbon realized they'd gotten to the camp ahead of most of the crew just as Jane had promised. There was only five other travel trailers dotting the landscape so far. Most of them the worse for wear. They had to be the old timers he'd mentioned. Sammy's words seemed to confirm that fact. Watching the other woman walk firmly up the rusting steps and forcefully knock on the door, Lisbon was sure everyone inside had known each other a very long time. She was the only stranger here.

"No women allowed." Bellowed a masculine voice through the screen. "You know that."

"I think you'll allow this woman." Sammy bellowed back. "She'd got blonde hair."

Lisbon heard Jane's voice from deep inside though she couldn't understand what he was saying. A few moments later there was a reluctant welcoming growl and Sammy was opening the door while looking at Lisbon pointedly. Following the other woman inside a mildly disgusting man cave, and a none-too-clean one at that, Lisbon blinked at the scruffy coterie seated around the table poker chips at the ready and decided they all looked thoroughly disreputable. Jane included.

Who was she kidding? Probably Jane most of all. He had that bad boy look on his face meaning there was going to be hell to pay at some point. Watching Sammy walk around to stand behind Pete, Lisbon took a step closer to Jane aware every eye was on her. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she wasn't sure she liked some of the looks she was getting. While she found the hand covering hers mildly comforting, she'd be tempted to flash her gun under normal circumstances. But, this wasn't normal circumstances, and she wasn't packing any heat at the moment.

"This is Amber everyone. Isn't she a pretty little thing?" Jane said as he pulled Lisbon down to perch on the edge of his lap.

Lisbon glance around the table smiling and mumbling the appropriate greetings as Jane continued his colorful introductions.

"Sweetheart, the squinty eyed old coot over there with the skunk stripe in his hair is Stinky. This is his pad." Lisbon bobbed her chin in Stinky's direction. "The guy next to him is Wally. He's nuttier than a drunken squirrel on a good day so give him a wide berth." Looking Wally in the eyes, she wasn't sure Jane wasn't right on that one. "Jake next to him is harmless and the stud with the really bad rug is Smokey Joe. He's a bit of love them and leave them ladies man. I wouldn't recommend getting too close to him either." Lisbon wasn't sure she hadn't arrested Jake for being a rowdy drunk in San Francisco on a foggy Friday night a few months before she joined the CBI and Smokey Joe was leering a little too appreciatively in her direction as though he were looking straight down her shirt. "You already know Pete." Suddenly feeling infinitely more comfortable, Lisbon grinned at her partner in crime's significant other. "Actually, they're all old timers so they're okay. I'd say if the truth were known, we've all known each other much too long." Jane said as he rested one hand on her thigh familiarly staking his claim as he shot Smoky Joe a 'keep your eyeballs in your head' glare.

"This is that good looking lady cop letting Danny go you mean." Smokey Joe said as took a drag from his cigar and tossed a card on the table.

"Yeah, Joe, she is. But, we're not telling that." Jane said as he studied his cards. "After tonight, she's Amber and I'm Jack. You know how the game is played."

"We know how the game is played. We've done it often enough and we'll do it again. Never fear, Pretty Lady, we won't be telling. But whatever the Pup might have said, we're not a bunch of senile old men. We know the truth of the situation as well as we know Jane cheats at cards." Smokey Joe said as he looked at his newest hand. "Then again we all cheat so who gives a rat's ass?"

Lisbon's brow arched at the rough chortles that remark elicited.

"They're okay." Jane patted her leg reassuringly. "They'll keep your secret and they'll keep you safe like you did Danny. If you want to really earn their respect, why don't you pull up a chair and show them you're more than just another pretty face." Jane patted the chair beside him. "I'll take care of your buy-in and first round bet. The rest is up to you. I know you've got that roll in your back pocket."

"You guys okay with that?" Lisbon asked as she slid from Jane's lap to the chair beside him not at all bothered by letting him buy her chair. He'd been more than a hundred dollars worth of aggravation lately.

"Yeah, we're okay with that; but, you need to sit over here beside me. We all know how Jane plays the game all right and we don't want you double teaming us. Move around guys. A lady's coming." Stinky said from across the table.

Smirking at Jane, Lisbon walked around the table to sit by Stinky who actually smelled rather nice. Resisting the urge to lean over and take a deeper sniff, she made a mental note to ask him what cologne he wore later. It would probably smell nice on Jane. Speaking of Jane, whatever he had planned, and she knew he had something in mind, had been effectively thwarted by his old friend.

Oh, well, her mentalist didn't have to always win and what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Well, maybe it would in his pocket book. But that wasn't anything permanent he wouldn't recover from. However, the one trick she had up her sleeve that Jane wasn't privy to might be a little more devastating. She had a betrayal of her own. While he knew she shot a mean game of pool, Jane didn't know she could hold her own at Texas Hold'Em. He wasn't the only one good at reading tells, and cheaters or not, she'd already spotted most of the dead give-aways around the table.

Stinky had a tick on the left side of his neck, Smokey Joe fiddled with his cigar twirling it clockwise when things were good and counterclockwise when they were bad, Wally's freaky weak muscled left eye tended to wander in the wrong direction even more than usual, Jake tapped his middle finger on the underside of the table, and Pete, well, Pete was a little harder to read, but he tended to get that crease between his eyebrows when he was under stress. Jane was the only real problem. He had a tendency to be unpredictable and play silly mind games. She'd have to watch him the closest.

Reaching in her back pocket, Lisbon pulled out a nicely sized wad of twenties she'd kept from their more recent shopping trips and counted out a few bills. She'd gotten over any compulsion against letting Jane foot the bills a while ago. She was keeping a running tally in a small notebook for later. She'd reimburse him for her living expenses from her savings account once this mess was over.

"Deal her in, Wally." Stinky said as Lisbon slipped into the seat beside him and picked up her cards. "And give the girl a drink."

Watching Wally pour a more than generous amount of dark amber liquid in the short glass, Lisbon accepted the offering. She knew better than turning that slug of whiskey down. It was her right of passage into the Old Boys Club. While she really didn't want another drink, she was fully capable of holding her liquor. Smirking in Stinky's direction as she studied her hand, Lisbon decided she so wasn't falling for that old trick. While she might be the only chick at the poker table, she wasn't getting drunk with the boys any more than she'd been willing to let Sammy get her drunk. And she wasn't getting taken to the cleaners. No matter what they thought.

Glancing across the table at Jane's evil grin, Lisbon decided he was so dead for putting her in this predicament. She'd expected to spend an hour or two seated on his lap offering moral support and sharing a light hearted smooch or two. She'd not expected to find herself swimming in the ocean with the rest of the sharks. The first one trying to nibble her tail was going to discover she bit back. Hard. Oh, well, she had little choice but to enjoy the game and add involuntary Poker with the boys to her ever growing list of reasons to kill Jane.

#

"Who knew, Lisbon?" Jane said as he locked the dead bolt behind him five hours later.

"Who knew what, Jane?" Lisbon asked innocently counting her take.

She'd cleaned house and taken no prisoners before the boys had had enough and decided to let her go back to Pete's place and keep Sammy company instead. Lisbon had a feeling there was more than one poker game around Stinky's folding table in her future down the road. The guys would expect an opportunity to win their money back and she really didn't have a problem with giving them one or two.

Not that she intended to lose. Friendly competition aside, she'd actually enjoyed herself. The old coots, as Jane called them, were a riot. They worked hard, drank hard, played hard, and had a good time doing it. She couldn't really fault them for that. She could, however, fault them for cheating. Fortunately, her brothers and their friends were notorious card cheats too. She had ample experience heading such antics off at the pass.

"That you're as ruthless at poker as you are at pool." Jane said adding his take to the ever growing pile secreted in the bottom of one dinette bench cushion. He really needed to find a better place to stash his cash. Like maybe in the back corner of the storage bin under the bed.

"A girl's got to keep some secrets." Lisbon responded as she opened the refrigerator door, grabbed a large bottle, and poured a generous glass of cranberry juice.

"A girl's got a lot of secrets I wouldn't mind learning." Jane said in that tone making Lisbon quirk a brow in his direction.

"Shush, Jane, we aren't going there tonight." She took a sip of the crimson liquid and savored the tart bite.

"I think we already have." Jane reminded her as he'd gotten quite comfortable with her seated on his lap.

And with his hand resting familiarly against her thigh while her head rested against his shoulder those few brief moments before she'd taken her place at the poker table. Truthfully, it hadn't taken long to get comfortable at all. Lisbon seemed to fit him just right in so many ways including her size.

"Whatever." Draining her juice, Lisbon washed and dried her glass before putting it away. Their living space was much too small to be sloppy or leave things to be taken care of later.

"Lose the walls, Lisbon, they don't belong between us here. They'll only make what we're doing more difficult. Being two entirely different people is hard enough without fighting to keep ourselves insulated from each other. If it makes you feel any better, I'm every bit as vulnerable to all of this as you are. I'm just better at hiding it." Jane's voice was quite and tired. "The newbies start arriving tomorrow so we won't be having any more evenings like tonight for quite a while. We won't be able to let our hair down. It'll be Amber and Jack front and center even among the old timers who know the truth. That's the game we've got to play from here on out. There isn't any room for mistakes or slip ups." Jane reminded her.

"Then you lose the walls, Jane. You know more about me than I'll ever know about you." Lisbon snapped as she flopped on the black leather couch in the window.

"Do I?" Jane asked as he sat beside her and draped his arm around her shoulders pleased when Lisbon's head automatically dropped on his chest.

"Yeah, you've been inside my head for years." In ways she'd never liked and still didn't.

"Yeah, well, you've been inside mine quite a bit yourself." Jane admitted what he never wanted her to know. "What do I need to say to ease your mind? To make you trust in all of this and in us? I can't do anything about the initial confusion coming with assuming multiple identities. It's normal and it diminishes with time. But if there's anything else, I'll certainly try."

"You can tell me what you really did in Vegas." Lisbon said quietly.

"You promise not to arrest me?" Jane asked only half-jokingly.

"I don't think I'm in a position to arrest anyone at the moment." Lisbon reminded him seriously. "So yes, I promise not to arrest you even if I could."

"You promise not to shoot me?" While she'd had to leave the guns at her home behind, Jane knew Lisbon was heavily armed.

She never left home unarmed. She had her law enforcement handgun she carried every day and the three guns she'd removed from her personal vehicle with her. There was a pistol in the bedroom, one in a closet about midway, and another in a drawer by the couch they were sitting on. Her beloved law enforcement issued piece was locked in the glove box of their truck in case of emergency. Neither was particularly worried about the gun betraying their identities. If they got stopped and searched to such a degree, the jig was up anyway. As for the guns in the house, Jane honestly didn't want to know if Lisbon had any more secreted in hidden cubbies. He wouldn't be at all surprised if she'd hidden a small pistol in the back corner under the bathroom sink. He honestly wouldn't put it past her. He could only hope they never had to use them.

"Yeah, Jane, I promise not to shoot you. I wouldn't know how to manage this thing." Lisbon motioned to the trailer around them.

"Then here it goes." Jane settled back wallowing out a comfortable hole. "I drifted a bit and made a little cash along the way. How, I'm not going to tell you as I'm sure you don't truly want to know."

"Psychic readings, horse races, and backroom poker games," Lisbon said as she wiggled her head onto his lap somewhat surprised when Jane absently patted her hair as she'd always patted his.

She couldn't help remembering it was always Jane's head on her lap all those times he'd shown up on her doorstep the worse for wear and her hand patting his head offering silent comfort over the years. Now it was finally his turn to return the favor. She certainly felt emotionally ragged and overwhelmed at the moment. Lisbon wouldn't lie to anyone. His fingers running through her hair felt very nice…much nicer than it should.

"Yeah, exactly as you said: phony psychic readings, the track, and high stakes poker games." Jane admitted. "I collected a pretty comfortable next egg in Reno before I decided it was time to get out of town."

"They caught onto the old card counting trick." Jane didn't even have to tell her. Lisbon smiled as she shook her head at his audacity. He'd robbed them blind with a smile on his face.

"Eventually, yeah, they did; but, by then I was bored with all of it anyway and I had plenty of money." Jane twirled a strand of dark gold hair between his fingers deciding, while Lisbon was as cute as a button blonde, he preferred her as a brunette. That was the first thing he was doing as soon as all of this was over…insisting on getting his old Lisbon back. Somehow he didn't think she'd protest over much. She'd probably appreciate seeing her familiar self.

"What happened next?" Lisbon asked.

"I made my way to Vegas where I rented a room off the strip. Nothing special, just somewhere clean, comfortable, and reasonably safe." Jane really didn't want to remember that dingy little room or what happened in it.

Nor did he particularly want to recall what happened after. Things hadn't exactly gone as planned. Wainwright ended up dead, Darcy had a breakdown, Lisbon got terribly hurt by his actions and almost lost her job and the team got mad at him. He'd had to work like a maniac manipulating circumstances to restore order to his universe. While he'd never doubted he'd get Lisbon back, it had taken quite a bit of work to accomplish it.

He'd also lost Lorelei for a while. He'd gotten her back as well only to have all hell break loose in a different manner. As much as he hated to admit it, after everything they'd been through, Jane still felt like he was taking two steps forward only to find himself three steps back. It didn't help that Lisbon was missing her team and it was still much too soon to contact them. He could only imagine what Rigsby, Van Pelt, and Cho were thinking or Minelli and LaRocher for that matter. Lisbon and Virgil had always been close and LaRoche had developed a liking for her.

"Where you started making yourself known and began your long con to trap Red John." Lisbon observed.

"Yeah, Lisbon, I did." Jane confirmed. "I knew I was being watched within a few days."

"That's why you never contacted me." Lisbon closed her eyes recalling the loneliness.

She'd gotten much too used to Jane popping up on her doorstep at the most inopportune moments to annoy the hell out of her. Like when she was eating her last bag of microwave popcorn and hoping to watch her favorite chick flick in peace only to find herself entertaining a petulant mentalist instead. She'd never have believed how much she'd missed him if anyone had told her she would feel that way. There had been an easily identifiable Jane sized hole in her life that was much worse than it had been while he was in jail. At least then she'd known where to find him. He'd not suddenly dropped off the face the earth without so much as a word as he had for those six miserable months.

"It was too dangerous, Lisbon. You and the team still had your jobs and you're a terrible liar. Wainwright and Red John's moles in the CBI would have known we were in contact within hours of my calling you." Jane added another strand of hair to his finger twirling.

"Would not." Lisbon snarked.

"Yes, Lisbon, they would have. It's a miracle we pulled off what we did even if it went to hell at the end." Jane said quietly.

"So you're telling me that you spent all the time we weren't in contact waiting for Lorelei to approach you?" Lisbon asked.

"Most of it, yes. I didn't know it would be Lorelei contacting me; but, I fully expected one of Red John's emissary's to reach out before I was done." Jane admitted.

"So you didn't notice a pretty, dark haired waitress circling the perimeter?" Lisbon asked.

"Oh, I noticed her. I just didn't know her intent." Jane said.

"But you suspected." Lisbon stated what she'd already surmised.

"Yes, I did. By the end I decided she was hanging back watching just a little too long to be a hesitant female circling in for the kill. I wasn't sure at first that it wasn't just coincidence. Vegas isn't that big. Stay for a few weeks and you're bound to start noticing familiar faces. I eventually decided she was probably the contact I was waiting for. All I had to do was be patient and she'd show her hand when the time was right." Jane looked out the side window lost in thought.

"Which she finally did." Lisbon picked at the clear nail polish on her fingers.

"Yes, which she finally did. You want to know about Lorelei, don't you?" Jane asked knowing he'd evaded the topic long enough.

"Yeah, I think I do. I know what you've said; but, I still don't get it." Lisbon stared into his eyes from where she was resting with her head on his lap.

"Then let's get ready for bed. I think I'd rather tell you things you probably don't want to hear in a more intimate setting." She'd be less inclined to storm away and more inclined to reveal her inner pain if he was holding her in his arms. He might be a little more willing to tell her drawing courage from her physical warmth.

Jane was under no illusions his actions hadn't hurt Lisbon deeply. Or that his betrayal hadn't caused a degree of damage he might never be able to completely repair. However, she was still by his side defending his right to Lorelei to the FBI and anyone else who questioned it. So, things were better than he'd expected them to be. That she'd never abandoned him when such action was clearly justified said everything Jane needed to know.

"I think I can do that." Sitting up, Lisbon headed for the bathroom in the pattern they'd so easily fallen into where Jane claimed the sliver of space in the bedroom as his changing area and she took the tiny enclosed cubicle as hers.

Pulling her tank over her head, Lisbon second guessed her request. From the butterflies roiling unpleasantly in her belly, she wasn't sure this was such a good idea. Unfastening her jeans, she wiggled out of them and slipped into her sleep shorts. Washing her face, she decided while she wasn't sure she really wanted to hear about Jane and the other woman, the one thing she did know was she wanted to be in his arms when he told her about Lorelei. That it was probably the only way she could stand hearing the truths she so desperately needed to learn in order to finally get past all of this was something she'd never tell Jane.

Then again, he already at least suspected as much or he wouldn't have made the suggestion he did. That was just one of the things she'd come to l…appreciate about Jane so much. He'd become fairly considerate of her in those really vulnerable moments she hated revealing to anyone in recent years. Though he rarely showed it to the world at large, Jane was a surprisingly compassionate man at times.

Exiting the bathroom, Lisbon wasn't surprised to find Jane already waiting for her in bed. Walking around to her side of the mattress, she slipped under the covers he was holding up and bottom wiggled back against him. Letting the cover drop, Jane slipped an arm around her and pulled Lisbon flush against the curve of his body in a position more comfortable for both of them. He felt her hands come to rest against the arm he left lightly draped over her waist. Closing her eyes, Lisbon said a silent prayer for strength as she prepared herself to deal with the white elephant lingering much too long between them. Whatever Jane wanted to tell her, she was prepared to hear it.

"All right, Jane, I'm ready when you are." Lisbon said quietly waiting for him to speak.

"Where do you want to start?" Jane's voice sounded in her ear.

"Why not back at the beginning? What you were doing in Vegas." Lisbon said. She didn't mind making him rehash all of that again. Nor did she mind listening. It was a simple cop trick he was very familiar with. She was checking to see if he recounted the same story twice.

"As I've already told you, just being myself." Jane said.

"Getting into trouble running some of your old cons you mean." Lisbon agreed.

"Well, there was that, too. What can I say? It was easy money and once the casinos suspected I was counting cards, they frowned on my hitting the card tables on a regular basis. Craps and Roulette are a little more risky; but, there are ways to even the odds more in the player's favor on those too. In the end, I decided not to wear out my welcome so I didn't play that often. I needed to be able to troll the casinos freely to get the ball rolling. So, let's just say, yeah, I found ways to finance my stay and stash a comfortable amount in the Patrick Jane Retirement Fund. It isn't widely known; but, I do have one of those. Only a fool wouldn't in this day and age." Jane said.

"You are so bad." Lisbon said not really wanting to know the specifics and knowing Jane wasn't going to give them. As for the other, it was so far so good. His story hadn't really deviated.

Besides, she knew more than she wanted to know considering she knew exactly what he'd done to land in jail for Lorelei to bail him out. She'd not known at the time because she'd not been checking. But, she had found out after the fact. And, angry with him or not, she'd felt bad that she hadn't been there when Jane needed her. She'd have certainly paid his bail had she known.

"I noticed her lurking about, Lisbon, long before she ever approached me that night. She was paying far too much attention to details to simply be a woman on the prowl." Jane repeated well aware that Lisbon was checking this version against the first for any blaring holes. He didn't blame her. He'd lied to her quite a bit where the other woman was concerned. Partially out a desire not to hurt her anymore and partially out of guilt. "Besides, for all of that watching, she never approached me. I knew there was something off about her. While I wasn't sure, I had my suspicions the bait was working. When she knocked on my door that day, I knew it was." And the rest was history as "they" would say whoever the heck "they" really were.

"What was it like?" Lisbon wanted to kick herself in the rear for asking that question. Frankly, it was none of her business and she really didn't want to know.

Truthfully, she already did. She'd read the file and she'd listened to the tapes. She knew Lorelei had brought him chicken soup. She knew they'd watched television and talked. She knew they'd eventually done…that. And she knew Lorelei had done the big reveal after the fact. What she didn't know was how Jane truly felt. She knew what he'd told her; but, the man was known to lie. He was quite good at it actually.

"What do you want me to say?" Jane asked refusing to pretend he didn't know what she was asking.

"The truth." Lisbon said.

"Nothing to write home about." Jane whispered in her ear. "I wish I could say terrible; but, I can't. With the rare exception, is sex between two consenting adults ever truly bad? Given the circumstances, the physical release was probably more pleasurable than it would have been had I not been celibate for so long.

From an emotional standpoint, it wasn't an experience I'd ever care to repeat. It meant absolutely nothing beyond a necessary act compelling me closer to where I needed to get. As I've already told you, My Dear, doing her was simply the means to an end. If that makes me a total bastard then, yes, I'm a bastard.

Lorelei wasn't the woman I wanted to be with any more than I was a man she truly desired. We were both a means to an end to the other. She wanted to please her master and I wanted an entrée into his circle.

Beyond that, the experience left much to be desired. I don't know what else I can say to make you believe me." Jane pulled no punches; but, that he was earnest and sincere was clear in his tone and in the hand rubbing comforting circles against the bare skin of her stomach.

"I'm not sure there is anything." Lisbon admitted.

"I will say had I known that it would turn out this way, not this moment because I'm quite enjoying it, but all of the rest of the mess leading up to holding you in my arms right now, I wouldn't have done it. Getting a step closer to Red John wasn't worth hurting you in any of the ways you've been hurt." Jane said as Lisbon suddenly rolled over in his arms and tucked her head beneath his chin as her leg came to rest between his.

"Except maybe that." Lisbon confessed content to do a little snuffling of her own against his chest.

"Lisbon, contrary to what you may have expected, while she was definitely a betrayal of you, Lorelei wasn't a betrayal of my wife and family. I never saw her that way. Personal beliefs aside, I talked my actions through with Angela before I ever did them. It doesn't matter if she heard me or not. I know she isn't here. We do such inane things for ourselves anyway. All that really matters is it made me feel better to tell her why I was doing what I was contemplating if it ever came to that. It made me feel better to believe she understood. That she would condone my actions in the name of justice if she knew.

As I've already told you, I'd noted Lorelei edging ever closer and suspected the plan. I wasn't all that sure I could do it or that I really wanted to. But, I was determined not to lose such an opportunity if it presented itself. Not as I had in the past. This whole game has gone on much too long. I came to the conclusion that what I did with my body wasn't touching my soul. All that mattered was doing what had to be done to catch my wife and daughter's killer.

I choose to believe Angela would have understood." As she'd understood many things over the years though none had involved the faintest whisper of infidelity.

"I'm sure she would have." Lisbon agreed with the words he'd said in her ear as he absently traced a pattern against the skin of her lower back. On some level, she suspected the woman who'd loved the real Jane would have more than understood his seizing the moment. His actions were totally Jane.

Besides, expecting him to give up such an opportunity after giving up so many over the years was insane. She was still surprised at times that he'd sacrificed Hardy for her so long ago only to lose Rebecca, Todd Johnson, and even Timothy Carter in the years that followed. Every potential tie he'd ever had to the serial killer had been sacrificed before they could be of any use. All except Lorelei and Red John had found a way to disrupt their forward momentum on that one as well. He'd used her to stall Jane's plans. It seemed he couldn't win for losing. None of them could.

"You, however, would be a betrayal of the very real kind." Lisbon's attention was abruptly brought back to Jane by his words. "There's nothing about you that doesn't touch my soul. There hasn't been for a long time." All the times she saved him from himself, refused to let him pull away, kept him grounded, and held his hands when he was overwhelmed flashed across Jane's mind like a movie.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon didn't need to hear things like that when every day was a fight for equilibrium and they were lying much too close.

"Why? I have a proposal for you. Instead of fighting the emotions surfacing between us neither of us really wants to fight, why don't we go with the flow and let things happen naturally. Why don't we see where it takes us? It may mean nothing or it may mean everything." From the look on her face, Lisbon was giving his words serious consideration.

"You have a point." She finally said. "It'll make things easier."

"Yes, Lisbon, I think it will." Jane agreed as he kissed her forehead. "I think we've both done enough talking for tonight. I'm rather tired and I know you are. Why don't you close your eyes and I'll do the same. Oh, and it might help if you'd finally trust me for a change."

"I do trust you, Jane. Maybe not with the little things; but, when push comes to shove and it really matters, I do." Lisbon said as she closed her eyes.

"Just not with your heart." Jane said quietly already aware she was mostly asleep for all purposes and intents. The woman could snooze at the drop of a hat. It must have something to do with being a cop. Rigsby and Cho could do the same. Van Pelt, not so much, but she was still only a step or two above a rookie in a lot of ways though she was growing with every passing day.

"Would you?" Lisbon cracked a bleary eye at him.

"No, I don't guess I would." Jane smiled as she closed her eye once again.

The woman wouldn't let him get away with anything.

Even in her sleep.

#

"I'm Jack and this is Amber. She's stronger than she looks." Jane said as he dragged Lisbon into the midst of the workers already milling about preparing to put the first ride together and made their initial introductions. "I assume Johan is in charge as usual."

"Yeah, he's over there. I'm Butch." A wiry, bespectacled, bald headed kid said. He was years younger than Lisbon and looked like anything but a "Butch." Who would name their kid that anyway? Somehow she suspected looks would prove deceptive in his case as Butch was already easily lifting a piece of equipment looking far too heavy for his slight frame in steady gauntlet clad hands.

"Johan." Jane called out as he lifted his finger to his lips in an inconspicuous manner.

"Jack, good to see you." The other man shook Jane's outstretched hand. "It's been a while." Johan said in a voice clearly stating he was in the know and willing to play along. "Who's your friend?"

"Amber Rhodes, this is Johannes Bacher. Johan, Amber." Jane made the bare bone's introductions before leaving Lisbon to shake Johan's hand as he prodded at the pieces of machinery recalling vividly how each segment fit together. It had been a number of years. But, putting together carnival equipment was a lot like riding a bike. It was something he'd never forgotten. No matter how hard he'd tried.

"You're going to be helping us do all of this?" Johan motioned to the equipment around him.

"Actually, she'd going to be helping Pete with Daisy among other things. I just wanted to introduce her to the crew so she'd be comfortable with everyone." Jane answered for her.

"That makes more sense." Johan pronounced glancing at Lisbon's lithe form yet again with more than a little appreciation in his eyes.

What was it with these carney's and the once over? You'd think they'd never seen a woman. Well, maybe that hadn't. Not a Jane woman. Not since Angela. And she wasn't Jane's woman. Lisbon made a mental correction to that persistent thought in her head. Not even if they were pretending she was.

"Don't let the pint size fool you. She's stronger than she looks and she has a way with ornery animals." Jane commented casually not caring for his old friend's open perusal of what was clearly his.

"That'll come in handy with Daisy. Did you inform your friend what's she's getting herself into with that one?" It was no secret that particular pachyderm didn't have the most even of tempers and she could be hell on four stubby feet when she didn't like someone. Oh, and she was an unrepentant apple hog and may Heaven have mercy on anyone letting the supply run low. She most certainly wouldn't.

"Oh, they're already fast friends. I'm not sure how long that state of affairs will remain once Amber shovels her first pile of elephant poop; but, for the moment they're apple sharing friends." Jane gave Lisbon a look that said he doubted even a stinky monster pile of elephant do could end their mutual adoration society.

Lisbon rolled her eyes. What Jane didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Yeah, she was helping take care of the Daisy; but, the poop part wasn't in her job description. Someone else already did that; but, she wasn't correcting either of them. The boys were having too much fun at her expense. Fun she would make Jane pay for later once she figured out how she wanted to go about doing it.


	6. Chapter 6

Danger, I'll certainly try and thanks for the review. Anna, thanks for the review and here's your next chapter. Oh, and impatient ebil plunnie, as always, this one's for you, too. ~Calla

#

"Daisy, honestly, Girl, I'm getting tired of playing this game. You've already had your bath today so I don't know what else to do." Lisbon said conversationally to her companion knowing full well that though the big brown eyes gazing at her understood her mild rebuke the elephant couldn't say anything in her defense. "Besides, it's supposed to be me and you-know-who on the lam, not you." Lisbon whispered softly in one wrinkly ear as she led her captive out of small copse of trees at the edge of camp back towards her stake.

Lisbon smiled and petted the bobbing noggin accepting the small head butt as the half-hearted apology it was meant to be. Daisy wasn't really apologizing for slipping her leash which she did several times a day nor was she apologizing for yet another game of "Catch Me If You Can." Rather she was apologizing for getting caught amusing herself in hopes of getting her apples anyway. The truly sad thing was her ploy was working. Daisy was a lot like Jane. They both liked juvenile tricks and she couldn't stay mad at her very long either. There was just something about those eyes.

"I see you found the rascal." Pete said in passing not at all surprised to see Lisbon leading her charge yet again. The petite woman was surprisingly good with the animals considering, from what Jane said, she'd never been around them much before. Once she'd determined who nipped for fun and who didn't, she was fine. She fed, bathed, and groomed them like an old hand. She even cleaned their stalls. Not Daisy's. That was Jake's job; but she took good care of the "littles" as they referred to the petting zoo critters.

"It wasn't all that hard." Lisbon snarked as she reattached the leash to the stake knowing that Daisy would unfasten it with her trunk when she was ready to make like a free range chicken yet again. "Nine times out of ten she heads for that mud hole through the trees." A mud hole that used to be a pathetic excuse for a stream and probably would be again once they got a good rain. Lisbon wasn't looking forward to that as they were due a shower or two overnight and she knew what to anticipate. None of it was pretty.

"That sounds like the devil." Pete said knowing the elephant's ways much too well. "It's time for a break. I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Yeah, see you then." Lisbon said absently as she rinsed the dried mud off of Daisy one last time.

When she wasn't taking a mud bath, the rotund little pachyderm was known to wander off and hide behind trailers for fun if she wasn't suitably restrained. Lisbon didn't feel like another impromptu game of elephantine "Hide and Go Seek" either. Daisy's idea of good places to hide in plain sight too often involved places she didn't want to go. Like behind Smokey Joe's trailer when he was entertaining a female guest he'd picked up goodness only knew where. Lisbon still couldn't get the sounds out of her head. Thank goodness there hadn't been any accompanying sights. Or on private property with very clear no trespassing signs. Fortunately, that old farm had been deserted so she'd not had to worry about anyone taking pot shots at the elephant on their lawn or any other such stupidity.

"Girl, I'm taking a break for a while. I'm so not in the mood to haul your wide load out of the mud when I get back so you'd better be here, right?" Lisbon wasn't sure what that eye roll meant but she had her suspicions. Probably that her long nosed buddy was going to make a break for it as soon as her back was turned. Not that there was much she could do about it. Who know elephant trunks were that ambidextrous? She did now. "Right." Lisbon snorted as she gave Daisy the expected apple and a final scratch between the eyes. The animal was about as reliable as Jane's promise not to get in trouble in the middle of a challenging case.

Watching Pete change his mind about something and head back towards her, Lisbon vowed she wasn't making an unplanned trip to the coin operated laundry tonight because she'd landed on her backside in the sludge in her last semi-clean pair of jeans trying to herd an obstinate gray waddler back where she belonged. She wasn't doing it. Laundry day was tomorrow. However, she'd almost done just that thrice today and didn't want to attempt it a fourth time. Not the landing on her butt part, she hadn't done that yet; but, the herding the waddler part. Daisy wasn't enjoying the heat any more than the rest of them and sought any avenue of escape available to her. If there had been a pond over the horizon, she'd have been there. At the moment, she mercifully didn't have that option. Lisbon could only image the fun she'd have trying to coax her from a real watering hole.

"Make it 3:30. It's hot today." Pete said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"That works for me." Lisbon said as she gave Daisy a last slug of water and set the pail within easy reach.

She would gladly take an extra hour out of the unexpected heat snap they'd been enduring the past couple of days. Her skin was turning pink in spite of the sunscreen. Fortunately, a cold front was moving in so the temperature would be far more comfortable for the actual fair. The only downside was she hoped they didn't get rained out. According to the weather forecast, that wasn't going to happen. The storms were supposed to move in and out overnight.

Heading across the vast fairgrounds, Lisbon was sure Jane would gladly take an extra few minutes, too, once she finally found him. Or he'd want to. Johan would have to agree to his taking them as the assembly crew was on a tight schedule. It was much tighter than hers with far less freedom. Somehow, Lisbon thought she was getting the better end of this deal. Jane didn't particularly care for as much structure as he was being forced to operate under. She needed to thank him again for everything he was doing for her.

Waving at Jake across the way, the truly strange thing was she'd gotten used to living like this in only four days which was far quicker than she'd expected. All of this was so different than her life back home. But, it was really nice in a haphazard, laid back way. She and Jane had fallen into an easy, predictable pattern from the start. They arose much too early, got dressed in the expected jeans and tees, and had a companionable breakfast of whatever one or the other of them decided to cook. Jane savored his tea as he wouldn't be able to get another cup until their day was over and she kept him company sucking down as much coffee as she could drink. She really needed the caffeine kick to handle Daisy as dealing with the elephant reminded her way too much of dealing with Jane. Maybe that was why she adored her in spite of the aggravation.

Once the breakfast dishes were put away, they proceeded to go about their day which usually involved walking to whatever sight Jane was working hand in hand and sharing a brief 'Have a good day.' kiss before Lisbon meandered off to find Pete. Once she did, she usually found herself feeding, washing, and brushing the small array of animals under her care while Jane was off somewhere assembling rides and booths in preparation for opening night.

She'd grown particularly fond of the pygmy goats and ponies that were a big part of the petting zoo. They were boisterous and sweet. Well, Zedekiah the Billy was a little too fond of nibbling the hand that fed him; but, he never bit the kids which was all that counted. Only his handler, who he deemed much too slow with the chow to suit his gluttonous tastes. And Amy the Shetland pony was a high stepping kicker early in the morning before she calmed down. Lisbon had gotten familiar with their individual idiosyncrasies pretty fast. It saved her a lot of broken skin and bruising.

She and Jane both worked through the morning and into the hottest part of the day before everyone took a break for a couple of hours before regrouping to finish their afternoon chores. Most of their nights were free. One night they'd spent with the other carnies laughing, drinking beer, and getting acquainted. She'd really enjoyed that. The others they'd spent companionably alone watching the superhero DVD's Jane had mysteriously gotten his hands on. Lisbon suspected he'd borrowed them from Stinky. Or more likely won them in some kind of bet she'd not been privy to. The collection was extensive enough they'd not yet watched them all.

Looking around her Lisbon noted, now that all of the components had arrived, the carnival was unfolding like a well oiled machine. Since that's exactly what it was, her reality shouldn't be all that surprising. But it was. Even knowing there was a limited timeframe for setup, a couple of weeks in which to earn their keep, and a limited timeframe for tear down before the carnies had to move on to the next sight she was still surprised at how quickly things were coming together. Had she not seen it with her own eyes, Lisbon would never have believed so much could be done in such an impossibly short period of time.

Eyes casing the wide expanse of field as she wasn't sure exactly where Jane was at the moment, Lisbon finally caught sight of his teal tee shirt. It had to be him as only Jane would wear that vivid a shade. Only it wasn't on him, it was draped over a piece of equipment along with a handful of other shirts. Apparently, the boys had decided it was too scorching hot and decided to strip down in the name of comfort. Looking down at her own skimpy burnt orange tank, she figured they were in good company. As for the rest, Lisbon smirked at the thought she was about to walk right into a gaggle of shirtless men and she wasn't closing her eyes. No flipping way. Eye candy was eye candy and she hadn't seen any eye candy in much too long. She was going to gobble every bit worth looking at right up and stand there drinking in seconds.

Strictly speaking, Johan would probably prove the most impressive physique. He was slightly older, taller, and more powerfully built than Jane. He'd also spent years putting heavy pieces of carnival equipment together. Jane would probably come in a close second or third as he was a more mature body type compared to the younger, leaner hands he was working with and spent a respectable amount of time in the gym. It had taken her a couple of years to discover that; but, it made sense. The man was an insomniac and he'd needed something to help pass the time on those nights he wasn't sleeping on the couch in the attic. While she wasn't into bulked up body builders, she wasn't adverse to lean, nicely shaped muscle mass either. Walking up behind the workers, Lisbon grinned like a fiend at the sight greeting her eyes. It was better than she'd expected and it wasn't often a girl got to do the leering when leering was getting done.

Yeah, Johan was a hottie from the top of his dark blonde head to the tips of his toes and he knew it. He was all nicely rounded, long, lean muscle with a respectable six-pack even if he was a little too fond of his lager. He needed to watch that or his six-pack was going to turn into beer pooch before he was done. But, at the moment, the man looked perfectly fine in Lisbon's opinion. Better than fine. It didn't hurt his face wasn't half bad either. Johan just missed being handsome. He was a little too craggy for that. More of striking specimen and that was okay, too. Yep, definitely a nice looking piece of man flesh by anyone's standards and one she'd look at twice under different circumstance. Looking never hurt anyone.

He was also almost as big an unrepentant flirt as Jane was; but, Jane had the prettier face. Lisbon snorted at thought Jane would have a cow if he knew she thought he was a pretty boy. Like it or not, he was compared to most cops. Yeah, though Johan would get the trophy for the more refined body, she'd have to give the overall hunk of the day prize to her pretend lover.

Who knew he looked like _that_ without his shirt? She certainly hadn't. Not that she'd ever given it much thought. Not to Jane without his shirt when he wasn't wearing baggy pajama bottoms which kind of spoiled the whole effect. Naked Jane was a different story. Maybe once in a while in a really weak moment. That was her dirty secret never to see the light of day. She'd just never thought about him wearing tight jeans and little else. Where was the bloody mind bleach when she needed it? This was not an image that was safe to recall.

"Hey, you." Lisbon yelled causing all the men to turn not one of whom bothered reaching for his shirt.

Allowing her eyes to rove briefly over the crew, she decided her initial impression was correct. Definitely Johan with Jane a close second, though she'd give it to the kid from Canada. He gave both of them a run for their money in the butt department.

"That time all ready, huh?" Jane said as he wiped his face before giving her a still vaguely salty, sweaty peck that wasn't in the least unpleasant as she was rather salty and sweaty herself.

"Yeah, that time all ready. Pete gave me an extra hour. Think Johan would do the same? Daisy has been a bit of pill today and I need some extra downtime. Actually, I need a shower most of all." Lisbon said recalling the unexpected "shower" of a different kind she'd gotten earlier.

"Yeah, you do smell a bit of wet elephant and Billy goat. Not the most pleasant of aromas, My Dear." Jane said as he draped his arm around her waist.

"And you smell like man sweat which is only slightly less ripe than eau de pachyderm." Lisbon charged back stumbling slightly as his hand came to rest blatantly on her rear.

She'd smack him one if it wouldn't seem out of place to all the masculine eyes staring in open amusement at them. Lisbon had gotten used to the open, insolent masculine appraisals her co-workers did nothing to hide. She _was_ one of the better looking women making up the crew so leers came with the territory. Besides, with all the PDA's they'd indulged in over the last few days, reacting negatively to Jane's pushing the envelope would seem wrong to them. They couldn't afford any chinks in the façade they were working so hard to create and that reaction would definitely cause an unwanted chink. She'd simply have to grin and bear it.

Refusing to look at him, Lisbon decided to return the favor instead. She didn't have to see Jane's face to know he had a smirk on his lips and a sliver of suppressed shock in his eyes. Actually, she probably had a bit of a leer on her face as well. She was thoroughly appreciating the feel of one taunt cheek that was every bit as firm as it looked beneath her palm. Hey, what was good for the gander was good for the goose and all that jazz…Besides, Jane had started it. She certainly didn't mind one upping him where the people who counted would never know. There were no Minelli, LaRoche, or Bertrams here in their strange little bit of paradise.

Looking around her as they headed for home, Lisbon couldn't wait to actually experience the fair. They weren't operating any rides or being in the public eye on a regular basis. That would be too risky. They were instead helping shut everything down for the night after their final guests were gone and helping reopen before their first visitors arrived the next day. That was going to be an experience she was sure. Being a bigger fair, the fun would begin in two days on Friday night and run through the next two Sundays. From what Jane had indicated, they'd hit the road by the Monday morning the day after closing leaving the rest of the crew behind.

For whatever reason, they were part of the old timers who were charged with going ahead and preparing the way. If they got to the sight and there were any unanticipated problems, it was up to them to see that the difficulties were handled. Not them specifically, but "them" as a whole. Lisbon had no reason why this was and Jane hadn't told her. Not that she'd asked as it hadn't seemed important. Being along for the ride, it wasn't like she had any say in the matter. It was probably simply the role he'd always played. Jane had a natural affinity for getting rid of impediments.

Besides, she liked getting there ahead of the crowd. It gave her time to visit with the inner circle fast becoming friends. It also gave her time to hang out with Jane, watch a movie, or read. She could even do laundry and grocery shop. Lisbon was learning the fine art of doing little of nothing again. It was a welcomed break from the intensity of her harried existence as a CBI detective handling a never ending stream of homicides. Here, once her work was done, she was free to do as she pleased. There weren't any late night summons from Bertram's office. Lisbon was shocked to realize she wasn't missing those as much as she should be.

Stopping with his foot on the first step, Jane drew Lisbon into his arms and kissed her as he'd wanted to a while ago. Instead of pulling back, she leaned into him responding in a manner encouraging him to deepen the kiss. Aware they had a small audience, Jane was mildly surprised at her reaction but he wasn't about to stop the sensual dancing of their tongues or his wandering hands before Lisbon stopped him. Though he'd not done anything visibly overt, he'd gotten enough of a feel to know Lisbon's breasts were every bit as firm as he'd thought. Speaking of wandering hands, hers were doing their fair share across his back and over his chest in very pleasant ways she'd never done before.

"I missed you." Jane said as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"I missed you, too." Lisbon said as she got her breathing under control. As many complaints as she could lodge against Jane, kissing definitely wasn't among them. "We have an audience don't we?"

"About two or three curious onlookers who'll be spreading the word that at least Jack is getting lucky right about now." Jane said as he unlocked the door.

"Yeah, right." Lisbon snarked as she swept inside. "But the kiss was good."

"Just good?" Jane commented as he locked the door behind him.

"Fine. The kiss was great. Better than I expected; but, don't let it go to your head." Lisbon teased.

"I have a feeling you aren't going to let me." Jane filled the new kettle he'd recently bought and set it on a burner.

"You're probably right." Lisbon said as she poured a glass of water.

"What do you want for lunch? I'll fix it for a change while you take your shower." Jane said as he selected his tea from the handful of blends. Lisbon usually fixed their sandwiches and chips while he made tea.

"Thanks. Why don't you surprise me? Just nothing with apples, okay?" Lisbon said as she set her glass on the counter and headed towards the bathroom.

"I think I can manage that." Jane agreed already sorting through their tiny pantry while he listened to the sliding glass door close and cursed tiny sardine can showers for what was probably the first of a million times before they were able to return home.

If they were at his place, or hers, he'd be taking his life in his hands trying to join Lisbon in there. The worse that could happen was she'd pull her gun on him. The best, well, the best was he'd be doing wicked things to her against that shower wall they'd both enjoy and she'd be letting him. What he wouldn't give for a moment like that. Being around the woman in such tight quarters all the time was much harder than he'd expected. He was having to confront exactly how strong his physical attraction to her really was. That he was at least equally, if not more, emotionally and mentally attracted to her wasn't helping matters at all.

Reigning in his thoughts as he snagged a box of croutons from the pantry shelf, Jane calmed his body and his breathing. It wouldn't do for Lisbon to realize he'd been having very naughty thoughts about her while she was wet and naked in the room next door. Or that he was having even more impure thoughts about them wet and naked together. That he shouldn't have allowed that image in his head quickly became painfully obvious. Jane cursed his stupidity as he ignored his body's response to his errant thoughts of a soapy Lisbon under his hands. While they might be leaning in that direction from the signals he was getting, they were far from having arrived there yet.

Jane decided he wasn't in the mood for sandwiches and chips. As they had an hour longer than usual, he could do a little better. Johan had given his approval at Lisbon's asking if he thought his boss would give him the extra time. From the conspiratorial look the other man had shot him, Jane knew Johan thought he'd be getting lucky. Nothing could be farther from the truth. But maybe he could steal a few more heavy breathing kisses and a sensual caress or two before he was done.

Lisbon had obviously meant what she said several nights ago after the Lorelei conversation. She was far more open to giving them a chance as long as he kept it slow and easy. There wouldn't be any sweeping her off to bed. That wasn't part of the program nor was that ever his intent. But, from all indications, heartfelt kisses and less invasive touches weren't off the table. He was more than happy to take his chances to see exactly how far she would let him go Jane thought as he turned the oven on to preheat. A few moments later he stuck some bread sticks in the oven to brown before turning his attention towards composing their cold lunch.

Slicing the store bought ham and turkey breast into cubes, Jane opened a carton of mixed greens and dumped a healthy amount into the large bowl he'd removed from the cabinet before adding the meat. Opening the refrigerator, he removed a couple of boiled eggs, a carton of mushrooms, shredded cheese, a bag of multicolored baby bell peppers, a cucumber and a tomato. In a matter of minutes he'd sliced the eggs and vegetables into the bowl. Adding a little shredded cheese he returned the bag to the refrigerator before tossing a handful of croutons across the top of the salad. Opening the jar of Hearts of Palm, he removed and sliced a couple of the long, off white cylinders into the bowl. Putting the remaining hearts away in the fridge, he removed the pan from the oven and turned it off. Lisbon should be exiting her steamy pod any time now so he'd made good time. Speaking of exiting the pod, the door was opening.

"Go put a shirt on, Jane." Lisbon said as she gazed at Jane setting a yummy looking chef salad on the table along with bread sticks, her favorite Ranch Dressing, and his homemade Champagne Vinaigrette.

"Why?" It wasn't like she'd not seen him shirtless many times over the past several days.

It was usually when they were getting ready for bed. But this really wasn't so different, was it, and he didn't want to put another shirt on until he'd had his shower. It seemed Lisbon felt differently. Maybe there was difference between comfortably baggy pajama bottoms and well fitting blue jeans. Who was he trying to kid. He knew better. If he liking looked at Lisbon's booty in tight jeans, why should he expect her to be any different?

"Because seeing you like that makes it far too easy for me to do this." Lisbon said as she dragged her hand over his chest and whisped her tongue over his lips smirking as strong arms wrapped around her turning her tease into another hungry kiss.

"You're playing with fire." Jane said quietly thoroughly appreciating his view down the neckline of the lavender tank she was wearing.

"You said I had to get used to being Amber if we were going to pull this off." Lisbon replied.

"I said get used to playing a role not try to tempt a man beyond his endurance." Jane reminded her.

"What do you think you're doing kissing me like that and wandering around all hot and sweaty like this? I don't think either of us is denying we're attracted to the other. That being said, we're under a lot of stress and we're much too close at the moment. I'd say that makes for a dangerous situation wouldn't you?" Lisbon asked.

"Yeah, Lisbon, I would. Perhaps a little too dangerous at the moment." Jane admitted as he pulled his teal shirt over his head.

"We're in even more trouble than we thought aren't we?" Lisbon said as she placed her hand on his shirt clad chest once again.

"Yeah, I'd say we are." Jane agreed capturing her sensually wandering hand.

"Then there's not much we can do except eat our lunch and go with it. I don't feel like adding another battle to everything we're already dealing with." Lisbon said as she poured a glass of soda and sat down at the table waiting for Jane to bring the cup of tea he'd left cooling on the counter.

"Neither do I." Jane said as he scooped salad onto their plates and passed Lisbon her bottle of salad dressing.

"You have to know I'm scared and lonely. I imagine you feel the same." Lisbon reluctantly admitted as she took her first bite of salad and decided it was delicious.

"Yeah, I am." Jane agreed. "Anyone who isn't under these circumstances is a fool."

"That being said, it doesn't negate the fact we've been heading in this direction for a number of years. Or I think we have." Lisbon refused to look at him.

"Since that's my opinion as well, I'd say you're right." Jane agreed.

"Then I'm going to stop reminding myself how unprofessional getting involved with a member of my team would be. But don't try anything tonight or any time soon or I'll shoot you." Lisbon said with just enough vigor Jane knew she meant every word.

"Would I do that?" He asked innocently.

"I'm not dignifying that with a response." Lisbon said as she shook his bottle of vinaigrette and poured a little on the part of her salad not covered in Ranch Dressing.

"Lisbon, surely you don't think I'm going to bail on you after all of this?" Jane asked quietly.

"I don't know what to think." Lisbon admitted as she took another bite of salad. That was her biggest fear in letting her walls down. She'd been abandoned quite a few times in her life. Both professionally and personally.

The one thing she did know was she'd gotten too intertwined with Jane over the years to be comfortable making herself even more vulnerable to his actions. There were times when they were working a case when she didn't know where he stopped and she began. That would only bleed over into other aspects of her life once they became more intimately involved. She honestly wasn't sure she was ready for that. Having Patrick Jane that much in her head was a disconcerting thought to contemplate.

"I'm not the one you have to worry about. I never left my wife and daughter, Lisbon. They were taken from me.

Be honest with yourself. You have a habit of bailing in your personal life before the other party bails on you. I get it; I truly do and perhaps you have good reason to feel that way.

But, you need to understand other things as well. Your mom didn't bail on you, your brothers, or your dad. She was killed as my family was. Your dad, yeah, maybe he bailed, but he was a weak man incapable of coping with his losses. Cut him some slack for being human. Greg never bailed on you. You left him. I'd say there are more Greg's in your past than you're willing to admit and I'm not going to ask about them. They're none of my business.

I'm not Greg, Lisbon. I wouldn't have let you go. I'm also not leaving and I'm not allowing you to leave either. Besides, I know where you live." Lisbon snorted at his words when she should have gotten mad instead.

"Yeah, I guess you do." He lived in the same place. "We're on the same page, Jane. Whatever happens simply happens and I'm okay with that."

"So am I." Jane took the hand she offered in his. "Now, what's wrong?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Lisbon asked through a slightly teary smile. She didn't know why she was getting over emotional. She never let anyone see her cry. And while she wasn't exactly crying, there was a moist sheen to her eyes that was totally peeing her off.

"You miss Virgil and the team." Jane said.

"Yeah, I do. We're here and they're there not knowing what's going on with us as we don't know what's happening to them. I'm sure they've figured out we're together don't you think?" Lisbon squeezed his hand a little tighter.

"Yes, Lisbon, I'd say that's a safe bet. I'd say they even know it was me that got you out of there ahead of the uniforms." Jane agreed.

"They're good cops." Lisbon commented wistfully whishing she could see Cho's enigmatic features across her desk.

"Yes, they are, and they're loyal to a fault." He knew they were already busily looking for ways to save their boss.

"Yes, they are." Lisbon knew it too.

"I'd even say, when the time comes, that Van Pelt has already found that disposable phone I dropped in her purse before I let the office that day. I'd say she's a smart enough cookie to have figured out that's how we'll get in contact with them when the time is right. I'd even say that electronic devise is probably in Cho's devious hands as we speak." Jane admitted.

"You've got this whole thing set up haven't you?" Lisbon asked sending up a silent prayer that Jane had acted exactly as she'd hoped.

"I have as much as possible when Red John is the variable." Jane comforted her.

"I don't know what to say." She'd hoped, but she hadn't expected, Jane to have certain pieces already in place. He was a good long term planner on the fly.

"There's nothing you need to say. Just know we'll have the guys working to clear your name soon. I give you my word." Jane promised.

"What happens if they can't?" Lisbon asked the question neither of them had really voiced.

"We'll adapt, Lisbon. We can stay here a while then strike out on our own when we're ready if we need to. People manage to stay ahead of the law for years. I see no reason we can't do the same." Jane said. "Not if we stay in the remote areas."

"I suppose you have enough money socked away to do all of that?" Lisbon asked.

"Yeah, I do. I never knew exactly what was going to happen with Red John out there. I needed a contingency plan in case I didn't end up dead or in jail. All contingency plans require dough so, while I've given a lot of money away over the years, I've kept a lot too." Jane admitted.

"That doesn't surprise me." It really didn't. Jane was complex man with many hidden talents and more secrets than she'd ever learn. This was a secret she was glad to keep.

"It really shouldn't." Jane agreed as he finished the last of his salad. "The only reason I see we ever really have to leave here is if Red John brings his threat to us. I don't foresee that happening any time soon if at all so I'd say we can stay here as long as we'd like."

"How would you feel about that? You and Angela both lived to escape this life. You worked hard to do just that and build a life out there." Lisbon made a sweeping gesture with her arm. "How do you feel embracing all of this again?"

"I'm a different man now. I've seen my share of the world. In retrospect, the carney life isn't so bad. I could certainly embrace it again to keep you safe." Jane said quietly after briefly giving the matter some thought.

"But could you be happy?" Lisbon asked.

"Yeah, with you to come home to, I think I would be even living this life." Jane said truthfully pleased to see the slight smile curving her lips at his words.

#

"What's up?" Jane asked from the dinette as Lisbon unexpectedly re-entered the trailer and closed the door behind her.

She'd departed a few minutes ago leaving him to finish his Sudoku puzzle in peace. He had a few minutes before he had to join Johan and he was still digesting their earlier conversation. Lisbon had basically given him the green light to put the make on her though not immediately. He'd still have to be smart in handling her if he wanted everything to go smoothly. All in all, it would have to be a well crafted seduction and everyone knew those took a little time. There was no time like the present to start planning it.

"Pete's got to run into town so they're shifting me over to Johan's crew. I guess that means I'll be working with you." Lisbon said as she resumed her seat and took a sip of Jane's tea.

"You can help me finish the booth I'm working on." Jane said as he swiped his tea back shooting her a look saying he hadn't agreed to share his tea. "They aren't that heavy or that difficult to manage. With the two of us working together as well as we usually do, we should get finished early. Besides, Carmine will probably appreciate being free to work with Caroline. If I don't miss my guess, he's pretty close to scoring." Jane said as he doodled numbers on the page.

"That's none of your business, Jane." It really wasn't.

"He's a decent guy, Lisbon, and he's been pursuing her for months. I honestly don't think the man is looking for a one night stand. Maybe we'll get to see a carney wedding. They happen more often than you think." Jane said without looking up.

"Is that what you had?" Lisbon asked not sure if the subject was taboo.

"Angela and I had already left by that time, Lisbon. So, no, we didn't have a carney wedding. We had a very normal ceremony complete with the beautiful dress and the monkey suit. The only unanticipated drama came from having to bail Danny out of jail. Angela wasn't too happy about having to go down to the police station in her dress or about being late for her own wedding. However, we couldn't have the best man languishing in a cell. Fortunately, everything went smoothly after that." Jane said.

"Danny was your best man?" Lisbon asked as though he hadn't just said the words.

"He was Angela's brother. It was what she wanted so I went along. There wasn't anyone I wanted more. All that really mattered was getting the girl I loved in the end." Jane's words made Lisbon a little sad. She wondered briefly if Jane ever got married again if there was anyone he'd ask to stand up with him now. She honestly didn't know. The only men she knew he was remotely close to were Rigsby, Cho, and maybe Minelli. "Danny's always been a bit of a bounder. It comes with the territory I'm afraid."

"You aren't a bounder, Jane." Lisbon said.

"I'd say you're a little biased." Jane observed.

"I'd say you've changed a lot from the man you used to be." Lisbon said quietly.

"Perhaps, but I can assure you I've been quite the bounder in my past. I can't say I honestly didn't enjoy it. And, yes, I do like to think I'm a different man now." Jane agreed. "Maybe a little better man than I used to be."

"You're a good man, Jane." Lisbon said as she leaned across the table to give him a gentle kiss. "I wouldn't keep you around if you weren't."

"I don't know if I'd go that far; but, it's nice to hear you say it." Jane said as he kissed her back. "I'd say we need to get a move on before Johan comes looking for us. I'd also say ignore the whispers and the looks. You know what the guys will be thinking."

"If I can ignore the cretins around the water cooler at work, I think I can ignore a bunch of juvies thinking I've gotten laid when I haven't. Besides, I did get a few good kisses out of the deal. That's one thing no one will ever be able to say about you, you know? Whatever else you might be, you're definitely not a lousy kisser." Lisbon said as she rose to her feet.

"That's nice to know though I can assure you I'm not a lousy anything." Jane said as he led her out the door.

"Don't push your luck, Buddy. I gave you a compliment. Accept it at face value. I don't need to hear the rest of that trash talk." Lisbon said as Jane draped his arm around her waist matching his stride to hers.

"I'm just telling you what you're going to find out soon enough." Jane promised.

"Shush, and I mean it." Lisbon said realizing it had taken far less time to get where the rest of the guys were throwing up booths than it had to get back to their place earlier. Or maybe it had just felt like forever since she'd known everyone's eyes were boring holes in their back.

"It seems Amber's joining us. Pete got tied up doing something else." Jane announced to no-one in particular as he walked over to the booth he'd been working on earlier. As soon as Lisbon finished mumbling back to Chester and John, they could get to started.

"What do you need me to do?" Lisbon asked with her hands in her pocket.

"First, you need to put these on." Jane held out a pair of thick gauntlets he'd picked up from the pile. "Then we need to move this." Jane helped Lisbon lift one side of the booth and slide it into place. "I'll hold this while you get the bolt."

"I think I can do that. What's this going to be? Corn dogs or funnel cakes?" Lisbon asked looking at the sign over to the side.

"Both and onion rings among other greasy, bad for you things." Jane said.

"I can't wait." Lisbon's tone said she had every intention of loading up on all of the greasy fare she could find.

"I can see that." Jane shuddered at the thought as he watched her shove the bolt through the hole and attach the nut on the other side. It would be his job to tighten it.

"Spoil sport. I can already tell you're going to try to ruin my fun." Lisbon said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Actually, Jane had every intention of buying her all the corn dogs and funnel cakes she wanted. He'd even throw some onion rings and French fries in the deal. He drew the line, however, at deep fried candy bars. Lisbon could use a little fattening up his opinion. He just didn't want to have to listen to her whine when her jeans didn't fit any more.

Actually, he doubted that would ever happen. Lisbon worked too hard to stay in shape. Even without access to the CBI gym, she was getting quite the workout every day between Daisy and all her miniature friends. Jane shook his head at the thought it was hard to believe the woman standing beside him was the same woman who'd asked rather foolishly if a wobbly fawn would bite not that many months ago.

#

It may be a few days before anything posts on this story. I've got to do some major plot devising (we need some adventure in the midst of the UST or I've lied on my genre) and add a chapter to those other couple of stories that have been sorely neglected in favor of this one.

While I don't write for reviews, I'm like most ff writers. I tend to stay in a story, or go, where there's the most obvious interest. Yes, there's lots of interest in this story and I thank you for it, but I've also had a couple of people remind me lately they'd like to see something else on those other two stories so I need to honor those requests as well. ~Calla


	7. Chapter 7

If you recognize the manufacturer of those pool cues, I don't own any part of that company either. However, I do think they do beautiful work.

As always, thanks for the reviews Anna, Nat and Guest. They're always appreciated.

Nat – Thanks for catching the BIG error I missed in having Jane call her "Lisbon" instead of "Amber" which has now been fixed as well! Same to my All-I-Need! Whatever would I do without you? I know – make even more mistakes! ~Calla

#

Gazing out the window at the passing scenery, Lisbon admitted she was a little miffed at not actually getting to attend the fair. She'd not gotten to enjoy a single ride or funnel cake. Jane hadn't won her a gold fish or a stuffed dinosaur. Not that she thought they'd let him play anyway; but, the idea of "Jack" shooting fake rabbits or tossing rings at bottles was still absurdly cute. Instead, they'd been too busy doing unexpected behind the scenes work as Jake had gotten hurt on the second night of the fair. They'd also helped close down the rides and booths every night as planned. Given they were down a man, she was glad to finally be getting a break on their last night in town.

In the morning they'd be heading for the Kansas fairground site and all that entailed. Tonight, however, they were meeting some of the "new" guys joining the crew for the next leg of their journey at a pool hall in town. To hear Jane tell it, they were having a friendly competition Lisbon was sure was going to involve money changing hands before the evening was over. She was mildly excited at taking on the guys. It had been while since she'd had such a challenge. Managing Jane didn't count.

"Charley's going to call you cute and pat your rear in passing. That's just the Charley way. Promise me any beating you do in response will be at a pool table and not over his head with a cue." Jane requested as he pulled the keys from the ignition.

"He's an old friend of yours, right?" Lisbon asked as she flicked imaginary dust off the beaded crimson tank she was wearing that matched her beaded jeans.

She so wasn't a bling kind of girl; but, Amber was enjoying her new look. Both Jane and Jack seemed to like it as well from the way they were acting. So, she wasn't going to complain even if she and her companion had both totally lost their flipping minds in the midst of playing all these twisted little games. None of this really mattered any way as sanity would prevail in the end. It always did. She'd simply enjoy being someone else until she got to shed all of this and go back to being plain old Lisbon again which wasn't happening soon enough for her.

"Yeah, he is, from the old days. Charley's a fairly decent sort, too, even if he is a chauvinist pig." Jane said before walking around to open Lisbon's door offering help she didn't need. "You look pretty hot." He said as he straightened the cross around her neck ignoring the patented eye roll.

It wasn't the cross she usually wore as that piece of jewelry would be a dead giveaway to anyone looking at an APB or BOLO. The necklace presently hanging around her neck was a more expensive, more ornate piece he'd bought her instead. They'd debated the wisdom of her wearing a cross at all. And while Jane thought it was a foolish risk they didn't need to take, Lisbon wasn't comfortable without her talisman. He'd reminded her that the God she worshipped wasn't in the pendant around her neck; but, that argument hadn't worked well at all. While she carried Him in her heart, Lisbon took great comfort in the physical manifestation of her devotion hanging around her neck.

Jane had finally succumbed to the argument it wasn't really a reveal as lots of women wore crosses every day. Capitulating, he'd gone to a jewelry store in Scottsdale and bought a fancy gold diamond and emerald cross Teresa Lisbon wouldn't have picked in a million years. He'd also bought her matching emerald and diamond button earrings that brought out her eyes beautifully that she could wear every day as they had special locking backs so she wouldn't lose them. She'd not started wearing her new pieces until they'd reached Oklahoma and she'd worn them ever since.

"Shush, Jack." Lisbon said as she allowed him to take her hand in his.

"A man should be able to compliment his woman without her shushing him." Jane teased as he opened the door for her.

"I'm nobody's woman." Lisbon snarked back as expected. Girlfriend, significant other, wife, fiance, etc., there were lots of words she could tolerate in general though she'd never been a wife; but, "woman" wasn't one of them. That sounded entirely too possessive for her sensibilities.

"No, I don't suppose you are." Jane said as he closed the door behind them. "You still look hot." Rolling her eyes, Lisbon didn't bother shushing him again as it was pointless. She couldn't do anything with the man.

"This is a nice place." She said looking around her. Less roach infested dive and more upscale restaurant and sports bar. Her mouth was already watering at the thought of greasy bar food.

"Yes, it is. Charley likes nice places and there's a waitress he likes to flirt with here when he's passing through town." Jane said as he released her hand to meander over towards the locked cases containing a vast array of pool cues and accessories. Allowing his eyes to roam over the offerings, Jane stopped in front of one case and motioned the attendant over.

Watching him, Lisbon suspected "flirt" was a polite word for what Charlie liked to do with that waitress but she wasn't pursuing the remark any further. She didn't really want to know. Getting as close to Smokey Joe's noisy antics as she had while pursuing Daisy was TMI. She still had nightmares over that one. She did not want those sound effects in her head.

"Amber, take a look at this." Jane called Lisbon over to the case he was standing in front of.

"That's a good brand." Lisbon said as she admired the famous maker pool cues through the glass.

That wasn't just a good brand. It was her brand of choice and those cues didn't come cheap. She had a black and red striped maple cue by the same company back home along with a matching red leather case she'd bought years ago. She'd splurged on both purchases soon after joining the CBI to reward herself for a job well done. Not that she'd gotten a chance to use that cue all that often since. She'd been much too busy. She had used it some; but, not nearly as much as when she used to take on her brothers' friends to show them how it was done. Nope, she'd not gotten to indulge in one of her favorite passions nearly enough since becoming the fearless leader of her very own team.

"My friend would like to see the Antique Birdseye maple cue with the white and pink stone look inlays and I'd like to see the Birdseye Maple with the floating blue marble inlay points over there." Jane motioned to two of the higher priced cues in the case.

"Jack, what are you doing?" Lisbon looked at him like he'd lost his mind.

"What does it look I'm doing? Do you want to play with those?" Jane tipped his head in the direction of the cues filling the walls around the tables. "I rest my case. Give that one a heft. If you don't like it, find one that you do. We've got some serious playing to do and I don't seem to have my cue on me at the moment do you?" Doing as she was told, Lisbon liked the weight and the feel between her fingers.

"I like it fine. Pink's not really my color, but I think this cue is one of the most beautiful designs I've ever seen." Lisbon admitted as she studied the work of art in her hands.

"Then it's yours. I like this one as well." Jane said as he mimicked going through the motions of using the cue. "I'll take the black leather case with the pink and white hand tooling for her and the black leather case with the shades of blue for me."

Lisbon watched Jane peel off eighteen one hundred dollar bills from the wad in his pocket and wondered what in the world he was doing flashing that much cash in public. Doing so was a pretty dangerous action and he knew it. Then again, when had Jane really acted with the much common sense? Not that he wasn't brilliant, he was. However, that didn't mean he wasn't totally lacking in practicality at times. From the attractive sales associate's reaction watching someone plop a couple of grand down for a couple of pool cues and cases was a fairly common occurrence. Maybe she was being foolish to worry about it.

Looking at some of the other cues in the case, Lisbon wouldn't be all that surprised if this was an every day happening. The place was fairly ritzy and located in a nicer part of town that obviously did a healthy business or they wouldn't be carrying the stock they were. Nor would they have both billiard and pool tables in the back. No wonder she'd been told to wear her bling jeans and a really nice shirt. Lisbon watched Jane thank the clerk as he put his change in his pocket before turning to face her.

"What do you say to giving our new purchases a trial run? We're still a little early. The guys won't be here for another quarter hour or so." Jane asked as he stopped by the bar to grab a couple of bottles of beer.

"I'm game if you promise not to cheat." Lisbon said accepting one of the beers and taking a slug.

"I take offense at that, Amber." Jane said quirking a brow.

"Yeah, well, I take offense at you cheating." Lisbon rejoined as she watched Jane rack the balls.

"I make no promises, My Dear." Jane said as he watched Lisbon breaking the rack.

Her experience showed in her form. She was breaking from the head-string with a closed bridge exactly as she should. She was also going for a full hit in the middle of the cue ball and Jane was sure she would make it as she always did. He loved watching Lisbon hunkered over a pool table and there was more to it than the unimpeded view he, and most of the other men in the bar, got of her shapely rear. It was the grace, strength, and knowledge she displayed in every move. Lisbon was a powerful player with a smooth, controlled back swing packing just the right amount of punch that was a joy to watch. More times than not, that cue ball came to rest smack in the middle of the table giving a good repertoire of options for her second shot.

Jane had to give it to her. When Lisbon was on her game she was hard to beat even when he cheated. That was what Jane was counting on tonight. Charley was going to say or do the wrong thing and "Amber" was going to be out for blood. It wouldn't take that long to clean house. Life was good when your partner in crime didn't even realize what she was.

"You wouldn't." Lisbon said as she studied her second shot.

"Hey, Charley, we're over here." Jane suddenly called over her shoulder to an auburn haired man striding purposefully across the room with his three companions in tow.

Looking up, Lisbon decided from the determined look on the other men's faces and the custom cue cases in their hands that they were in for a long night. Charley and friends obviously knew Jane well and had come prepared for battle. Sighing to herself, Lisbon wondered if they all cheated. Somehow, she thought they did. They were all carnies and she was clearly the mark. Well, what they didn't know could hurt them as they were soon going to find out.

Plastering a shy smile on her face, Lisbon shook the hands extended her way as she exchanged pleasantries with Charley, Liam, Johnnie and Buck before motioning for Jane to rack the balls again. The sooner they got down to business, the sooner she could whip some seriously smirking man butt.

**#**

"We kicked butt." Lisbon giggled as she sat at their table watching Charlie and crew walk out the door looking significantly less smug than they had coming in.

It had taken them three good hours of back breaking work, but they'd cleaned house before their opponents had finally given up for the night. It was no mean feat beating those four guys. They'd been around the pool halls a long time and their experience showed. Lisbon and Jane had had to agree to another game as soon as possible to give the guys an opportunity to recoup their losses. Lisbon had no fears they would win. The boys were good; but, Amber and Jack were better.

For once Lisbon was glad she'd had three rowdy brothers who'd almost driven her insane growing up. While she'd missed them dreadfully, she'd been glad to escape to college. However, it seemed they'd had their uses. For one, they'd taught her to play a mean game of poker as she'd proven time and again. For another she shot a wicked game of pool. Lisbon had learned the latter just to stomp James into the ground in front of his friends. He'd mouthed off to his big sis once too often and she'd had to put him in his place which she'd done quite skillfully. Track and academics weren't the only things she'd done well.

Now Lisbon used the various skills she'd learned in the neighborhood pool hall to keep her guys in place. She even had her own red and black striped maple cue with a crimson leather case back home. She never left home without it and her guys knew they were in for it when she showed up cue in tow. The only member of her team she couldn't consistently whip was Jane and everyone knew he cheated so he didn't really count.

"Yeah, we did. I knew Charley was in trouble when I saw the fire in your eyes." Jane observed.

"He shouldn't have called me a cute little thing in that condescending tone." Lisbon snarked yet again. He also shouldn't have stroked her rear so suggestively; but, they so weren't going there. What he'd done was hardly a pat. It would have gotten him arrested if she still had her badge. That Jane had forewarned her hadn't made the actual fondling any better. It had taken all her resolve not to go out to the truck, reach under that seat, and return to knee cap Charley anywat. That wouldn't have gone over well with anyone.

"You are a cute little thing." Jane rubbed salt in the wound.

"That wasn't the problem. The rest of his attitude was. The way I saw it, I had two choices. I could either shoot him in the knee cap or whip tail and take no prisoners. I chose the lesser of the two evils." Lisbon said.

"I applaud you for that. Charley is an old friend I'd rather keep as he may prove useful down the road." Jane said.

"What about the rest of them?" Lisbon asked as she lifted her beer.

"I've known Johnny and Buck a long time, too. I haven't known Liam quite as long. They're all good guys as far as I know." Jane said honestly as he twirled his beer. While their second of the evening, by the time these were gone they'd both have done well to have finished one beer each. They'd been much too interested in shooting pool.

"Jack." Jane looked up at the sound of Lisbon's best "Boss" voice. She hadn't sounded like the CBI's finest SAC in weeks. Something was definitely up for her to be using that tone again.

"What's wrong?" Jane rose to his feet about the time he realized Lisbon was white knuckling her beer.

"This." Lisbon motioned to the square bit of white beneath her hand.

Jane silently tucked the napkin in his pocket as he pulled Lisbon gently to her feet motioning for their waitress to bring their tab. Gazing around the room he didn't see any familiar faces. Nor did he see anyone visibly suspect. No one was avoiding his gaze and no one was deliberately courting his gaze in a defiant manner. Seeing no revealing tells, Jane decided to give up the game. He wasn't going to learn anything here as it appeared that moment had long since passed.

"We're leaving as soon as I pay the bill." Lisbon's expression clearly conveyed Jane wasn't getting any argument from her.

Taking the bill, Jane handed the waitress a couple of twenties before grabbing the takeout box of leftovers Lisbon had collected over the course of the evening. Who knew the woman could eat so much? She was such a tiny little thing. Then again, he'd always known her predilection for Southwestern eggrolls and cheddar stuffed jalapeno's and chicken wings with all the accompanying sauces. He wasn't even mentioning the onion rings and nachos.

Slinging both of the cue cases over his shoulder, Jane wrapped his arm around Lisbon's waist and swept his date out the building. He really didn't like the fact she was already beginning to shake. That wasn't like his Lisbon. Stopping by the truck, Jane opened the door and gave her a hand up before walking around to the driver's side door. Pulling up on his seat and closing the door, Jane pressed the automatic lock.

"How do you think it got there?" Lisbon asked as she clicked her seat belt in place.

"It's obvious someone placed it there even if we didn't see him. That table wasn't three feet from where we were playing pool all evening. While I didn't see anyone milling about who shouldn't be, that doesn't mean they weren't. The wait staff was certainly passing through at will. There were also long periods when I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been since we were pretty much the only people at that end of the room." Jane answered honestly knowing he'd been making his shots instead of watching out for their best interests a lot of the time. He'd grown much too lax being among familiar faces and that wouldn't do. It wouldn't do at all as such errors could cost them everything.

"There was obviously someone we didn't see or…." Lisbon didn't want to complete the rest of her sentence as it wasn't anything she wanted to contemplate.

"Or Red John's turned one of the guys." Jane finished for her.

"Do you think that's possible?" Lisbon asked.

"I don't want to think so; but, anything's possible where Red John is concerned." Jane admitted.

"Yeah, I guess it is." Lisbon didn't want to think about that. "Why don't we hit the road? It can't be all that safe just sitting here."

"Whoever left this is long gone, Lisbon; but, I think you're right. It is time to go." Jane agreed as he turned the key in the ignition and exited the parking lot. That they had a half hour drive on a lonely, deserted stretch of highway wasn't making him feel any better.

#

Watching Lisbon tinkering with her twisted seat belt, Jane decided the vehicle in his rear view mirror was coming up on them much too fast judging by the headlights. Catching a shift he didn't like, he steered the wheel hard to the right causing the truck to fishtail before righting it as the black vehicle narrowly missed hitting them. Somehow, Jane suspected that had never been the driver's intent. Rather, he'd wanted to run them off the road exactly as he'd done.

Righting the truck and pulling back on the deserted lane, Jane turned to look at Lisbon adjusting her seat belt into a more comfortable position. She'd been in the midst of untwisting and refastening the wide strip when he'd slammed on brakes to avoid the car suddenly cutting them off. He'd caught her bouncing off of things she should never have hit like the windshield and dashboard out of the corner of his eye. The arm he'd thrown out to protect her had come a little too late.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked as he headed in the direction of the fairgrounds.

"Yeah, I think I bumped my shoulder before I got my belt locked again; but, I'm okay." Lisbon said as she dragged a hand through her hair. "That wasn't some local yokel out on Tuesday night patrol who didn't see us coming."

"No, Lisbon, he wasn't. That was an unmarked police car with an Oklahoma license plate for one thing and he was behind us for another." Jane agreed as he'd noted that much in his rearview mirror.

"So it was another message from Red John." Lisbon stated what they were both thinking.

"Yes, Lisbon, I'd say it was." Jane glanced in his left side view mirror to make sure they weren't being followed.

"He knows where we are." Lisbon commented unnecessarily.

"Leave it alone." Jane said quietly.

"Jane, Red John knows where to find us. Doesn't that concern you at all?" Lisbon asked looking out her own window at the darkness beside them.

"No, not really, and he's probably known all along. I warned you of that possibility." Jane recalled an earlier conversation they'd had. "I'd say we're safe enough at the moment. He's not going to give us up and end the game. Red John is having too much fun believing he holds all the cards."

"I'd say he does, Jane. Hold all the cards." Lisbon turned in her seat to look at him.

"Then you'd say wrong." Jane glanced briefly in Lisbon's direction.

"What about the danger to our friends?" Surely Jane saw the threat to everyone he cared about. "Shouldn't we leave?"

"We're leaving in the morning to go to the next site anyway." They'd be in Kansas by this time tomorrow. "Besides, there's no danger to our friends. None of these people are going to say a word about Red John as they don't even know he's contacted us and we're not going to tell them. Ergo, he has no reason to harm them. Besides, doing so would only get the police involved and us thrown in jail. Again, game over. That's not what he wants."

"You think not?" Jane resisted the urge to ask for silence from the peanut gallery. Lisbon really wouldn't appreciate that.

"It's far more pleasant to have us looking over our shoulder waiting for the next shoe to fall. Red John is getting off knowing I know if he suddenly decides to harm you there's very little I can do to stop him. We've already seen that time and again. I'd say that's a far more potent weapon than actually hurting you could ever be.

Besides, if he actually harmed you, again, it's game over. The alarm he know we're both feeling knowing he's out there watching us just out of sight is far more fulfilling for him. Red John thrives on fear and on the dread he strikes in his victims. Or in this case, the panic he's striking in us.

Don't try to deny it. My heart's racing a mile a minute and I know yours is too."

"Shush, Jane, he's not going to hurt me." Lisbon closed her eyes hoping her words were true.

"Not at the moment he isn't, no. As for the future, he's not going to hurt you then either. I won't let him." Jane promised.

"He's not going to hurt either of us. I won't let him. You know, I really hate him." Lisbon poked at her aching shoulder absently.

"So do I and for similar reasons. Right now I'd say we forget this happened. Nothing's really changed except he's crawled out of the woodwork into plain sight for a few brief moments before crawling back in the shadows again." Jane glanced into his mirrors again.

"Let's go home, Jane." Lisbon said not at all surprised she thought of their trailer as home. It was where Jane was and that seemed to be all it took for her to feel safe at the moment.

"We're almost there. Oh, and that idea you have in your head about us calling Cho on that untraceable phone to see if any cops have transferred from California or Nevada to Oklahoma in the last few years isn't a good one. We both know that's the most likely explanation for what just happened. He's probably been watching us from a distance since we got here. Fairs have cops patrolling the grounds. We've both seen them. As he was probably one of them, it's not that big a leap to think he's been shadowing us on Red John's orders. Whether this latest escapade was his idea of fun or something he was told to do, I can't answer nor do I really care. I'd also say it was plain dumb chance that we happened to cross his path for Red John to use him. Serendipity. The universe conspiring against us. However you want to put it." Jane said as he pulled into the fairgrounds.

"Do you think he's the one who left the calling card at our table?" That unknown cop driving an unmarked car she'd love to shoot right between the eyes.

"I can't answer that, Lisbon. It could be one of the guys just as easily. Or it could be someone else entirely…just another unknown face in the room." Jane admitted.

"You're not making me feel any better." Lisbon said quietly.

"I'm not making myself feel any better either. I'm simply speaking the truth as I see it." Jane said as he pulled in beside their travel trailer. Taking a look around at the mostly dark trailers around them, he decided they were safe in going inside. He seriously doubted there would be any more excitement tonight.

#

"I'm going to take a shower." Lisbon said as she sat her purse on the counter thinking what a lousy way to end an otherwise wonderful evening.

"I think that would be a good idea." Jane agreed as he took his cup from the cabinet and turned the fire on under his kettle. He'd already stowed their cue cases safely away.

"Yeah, so do I. You want in there first?" Lisbon asked as she meandered towards the bedroom.

"I'm fine. I'm going to make a cup of tea and sit out here while you're in there." Jane selected a strong black tea from the pantry and proceeded to pour boiling water into his cup.

"I'll be out in a few." Lisbon said as carried her pajamas into the cubicle.

"Take your time." Jane said as he steeped his tea and listened to the sound of the door closing behind her.

Placing her pajamas on the closed toilet lid, Lisbon turned the water on in the shower and listened to the sound of water hitting the shower stall as she stripped out of her jeans and tank. Opening the sliding door, she stepped under the steaming stream and closed the same door behind her. She didn't have to be a cop to realize she'd foolishly allowed the easy camaraderie and peace of the past couple of weeks to lull her into a false sense of security. She shouldn't have. She should have kept her wits about her and she hadn't.

Squirting a little of Jane's citrusy body wash on her puff, Lisbon took a whiff and smirked at the thought this was the only place she could get away with smelling like him without setting the rumor mills buzzing. That would happen here if she _didn't_ smell like Jane. Yep, smelling like anything other than Jane's citrusy, woodsy scent would definitely set tongues wagging around the carney equivalent of the CBI watercolor. She already knew that. Fair folk were entirely too nosey exactly as Jane had said. Lisbon laughed out loud at the thought no matter what universe she inhabited everyone ultimately came to the same conclusion that she and Jane were banging like bunnies when nothing was further from the truth. What were they seeing that she wasn't?

Gazing at sponge gliding over her skin, Lisbon realized her hand was shaking and not just a little bit. When had that happened? Probably about the time the tears she hadn't realized were seeping from her eyes started rolling down her cheeks. It didn't help that her knees were beginning to quiver or that she was feeling cold to the bone standing under a shower that was really much too hot.

Cussing a blue storm, Lisbon felt her legs give and lowered herself towards the floor as she turned the knob in passing. This was so undignified and beneath her. She was a cop and cops did not fall to pieces in their showers. Especially not over a stupid smiley face that she hoped wasn't, but probalby was, drawn in human blood. At least the design was small enough she doubted anyone had died to make it.

That dirty cop, or unknown whoever, had probably cut himself knowing full well that napkin would never find its way into a forensics lab under the circumstances. Doing so would cause too many questions to be asked that none of them wanted answered. Realizing she'd been sitting in a rapidly cooling ball of naked flesh for much too long, Lisbon slid the door open to grab her towel. Wrapping the fabric around her, she struggled to rise to her feet. Finding she lacked the strength to accomplish such a feat, she did the only thing she could.

"Jane." The voice coming through the door didn't sound quite right to his ear.

"Yeah, Lisbon?" Jane hesitated before opening the door.

"You can come in." Lisbon called through the still closed door.

"What's going on?" Jane asked before taking an involuntary step back at seeing Lisbon sitting wrapped haphazardly in her towel in the bottom of the shower stall.

"This is stupid, Jane. I'm…I'm a cop. This shouldn't be happening." Lisbon said as Jane hauled her out of the shower and carried her into the bedroom. Once seated on the bed, it became readily apparent how badly she was shaking. It was no surprise she was weak as well.

"It's the cumulative effect of everything that's happened probably triggered by that." Jane gestured to the rapidly darkening bruise on her shoulder. "I'm surprised you've last this long without hitting the wall."

"I'm a cop. I deal with trauma every day. This shouldn't be happening." Lisbon repeated.

"This is personal, Lisbon." Jane said. "And personal changes everything."

"Maybe it does." Lisbon nodded slightly as she decided his words made sense. She'd been attacked in so many ways from being framed for murder to losing her physical identity to finding herself all but shacking up with Patrick Jane in less than a month. Talk about having her world turned on its ear. There was no denying that was exactly what was happening to her. Jane was the only truly familiar thing left in her life at the moment. "I think you're right. All of this is more of the cumulative effect of the past three weeks than anything. That smiley face just set it off." Lisbon said through chattering teeth. "The worst part is I'm freezing. I can't seem to get warm no matter what."

"Then we need to get you under the covers." Jane said as he turned the duvet back.

"We need to get me dressed first." Lisbon corrected him.

"We?" Jane's tone clearly conveyed he did not believe what he'd just heard.

"Yeah, we, you don't think I can do it on my own?" Lisbon held out her shaking hands. "I'm not even sure I can stand up."

"I think I can handle this, Lisbon, without sacrificing either of our sensibilities." Jane said as he pulled her tank and shorts from the drawer by the bed.

Honestly, he'd like to see what was under that towel and he didn't think Lisbon would really mind. But, for the sake of the game they were still playing, he'd keep his eyes slightly averted as he did what had to be done. That meant kneeling down to put her shorts over each foot and sliding them up her legs exactly as he was doing. Helping her stand, Jane finished sliding her shorts in place before turning Lisbon around, removing the towel, and sliding the tank over her head without actually seeing a thing. He honestly wasn't sure whether to applaud himself for being a gentleman or beat his forehead against the nearest wall for missing the perfect opportunity to sneak a peek. Perhaps he should do both.

"Why don't you get your jammies on and join me." Lisbon said as she slipped beneath the covers. "I could use a little snuggling after what we've been through."

Jane wanted to find that cop who'd cut them off and bam his head into the sidewalk as well for putting Lisbon through all of this. However, he liked her plan better. Pulling his pajamas out of the drawer, Jane walked into the bathroom and put them on. Putting his folded shirt and jeans away in the drawer, he joined her in their comfy bed.

#

"So you're using getting almost getting killed and spooked by a smiley face calling card as an excuse to seduce me?" Jane said a few minutes later as he restrained the hands suddenly wandering dangerously close to forbidden territory.

While a few naughty cuddles and tonsil licking kisses were perfectly fine as they did that every night, Lisbon putting the full blown make on him wasn't. A part of him wondered what had suddenly gotten into her while the other part of him knew. They were undeniably attracted to each other. More than attracted and acting on that attraction to forget the past few hours held strong appeal for him as well. However, that wasn't the smartest move for either of them. In fact, it was just plain wrong. There was too much potential for regrets he didn't want either of them feeling in the harsh morning light.

"If you want to put it that way, then yes, I think I am. That and losing it. I'm clearly not in my right mind." Lisbon nuzzled against his neck dismissing the losing it part as she was clearly over that. "Though I'd say from what I'm feeling I don't need an excuse."

"Lisbon, you _aren't_ in your right mind and I don't think this is a good idea." Jane stated in no uncertain terms.

"I know exactly what I'm doing, Jane. You've done a wonderful job of warming me up and calming me down. I'm not even shaking anymore." Lisbon held up a perfectly straight hand to illustrate her point.

"What about your shoulder? That's a pretty nasty bruise." It's a wonder her shoulder hadn't dislocated.

"I'm sure it'll hurt like hell tomorrow; but, at the moment it looks far worse than it feels." Lisbon said.

"I still don't think this is a good idea." Jane said.

"We both agreed to let things happen and I'd say they're happening. I can tell you want to, and I know I want to, so just go with it. I don't want noble Jane in my bed at the moment. I'd much prefer sneaky Jane who always gets what he wants." Lisbon whispered in his ear. "And I think he wants me as much as I want him."

"Yeah, Lisbon, I'd say he does. Probably more since he's known he's wanted you a lot longer than you've accepted you wanted him. However, that being said, I'm afraid noble Jane is ruling the moment. Our first time won't be in an adrenaline fueled haze when neither of us is thinking straight. There won't be any regrets on either side when we decide to let things happen." Jane rested his hands against her lower back enjoying having a Lisbon coiled about him. Though his late wife had been the epitome of femininity, he'd formed quite the affinity for dress hating tomboys over the past few years.

"Spoil sport." Lisbon mumbled against his neck sleepily giving a certain amount of truth to his words. If he wasn't going to make it worth her while, there was not reason to fight the crash.

"You'll thank me in the morning." Jane rubbed Lisbon's back urging her to fall asleep. It was the best thing for her and it would lay a very real temptation to rest.

Once he heard the first of those light girly snores he was slipping out of bed and making sure they were truly safe.

#

Quietly unlocking the door, Jane stepped inside the living room and locked the door behind him. He'd left Lisbon in the midst of a deep, healing sleep when he'd eased out of bed, gotten dressed, and slipped out the door. He'd spent the past hour checking the parameters and watching for any signs of activity that shouldn't be. The most action he'd run into was Charley escorting his little waitress friend back to her car.

Shaking his head, Jane decided he didn't really see any way any of his old friends were Red John's man. On the other hand, he couldn't see how one of them couldn't be. It was the only answer that made sense. All four of those guys were in contact with their table throughout the evening. And all four were recent additions to the convoy moving on to Kansas City. They were also men he'd called friends of long standing. The idea of Red John turning one of them was hard for him to fathom.

Turning at a faint sound, Jane was surprised to see Lisbon lurking on the couch in the darkness. Switching on the light closest to him, he walked over to sit behind her.

"Lisbon, what are you doing awake? I thought I was the insomniac." More to the point, what was she doing wearing his pajama top she'd rooted out of the closet over her sleep shorts and tank. Maybe she was still cold. Or maybe she was seeking comfort since she'd awoken to find he wasn't here.

"He's out there, Jane. He's out there somewhere watching us." Lisbon said as she kneeled on the couch with her face pressed against the window staring into the darkness and seeing nothing.

"Yeah, he is, out there; but, in California somewhere. I seriously doubt Red John himself is within twelve hundred miles of us at the moment." Jane reminded her reassuringly.

"I suppose you're right." Lisbon turned to face him.

"I am. We'll be watched for a while until he's ready to make his next move; but, I think that's about it." Jane said as he brushed her hair out of her face. "We could leave as you're thinking. I'm just not sure that would do much good. Now that he's made himself known, I'm pretty sure we would just be followed the same way he's following us now. Besides, there's a certain truth to there being safety in numbers."

"We should tell them, Jane." Lisbon said.

"Why? What they don't know won't hurt them and knowing just might. They aren't going to do or say anything foolish if they don't know any of this. And he's not going to harm anyone if they keep their mouths closed. No, Lisbon, in this instance, ignorance is bliss. If I get the feeling it's otherwise, I'll certainly take the appropriate steps to protect everyone including leaving if we must. You can trust me on that." He wouldn't knowingly put his friends in any real danger.

"I do." Lisbon said as she felt Jane draw her back in his arms and rest his chin on top of her head.

"Then let's just sit here and enjoy the dark. I don't think either of us is going to get much sleep tonight." No vocal answer was really necessary as Lisbon snuggled trustingly into his chest.

There was something about sitting in their home holding Lisbon in his arms that made all the unpleasantness fade away.


	8. Chapter 8

Here's the next chapter as promised. I kept wanting to go in one direction and my crazy muse kept demanding I go in another and add another layer I never meant to add. Sorry if it's not what you're expecting. Or maybe it is. This story is writing itself sticking marginally to the outine in my head. But when is it any other way? ~Calla

#

Lisbon gazed out the window yet again. While she loved every second of snuggling with Jane, she couldn't stop the cop instincts driving her to rise on her haunches every few minutes to check the parameter for bad guys. While her rational mind knew Jane's assessment was right and there wasn't anyone out there waiting to slit their throats or blow them away, her irrational mind was going haywire. It kept asking what if he was wrong?

"I know there isn't anyone out there; but, if there was they could kill us without a fight. We're living in a sardine can exactly as you said." Lisbon commented casually.

"It's a little better than a sardine can and I hardly think either of us would go down without a fight." Jane watched her wriggle closer to the wall pressing her nose against the window. "Settle down. We're perfectly safe for the moment."

At least Lisbon was perfectly safe. He, however, was in serious danger of losing what was left of his mind.

Her antics were physically jolting, true; but, it was the mental affects he was finding more difficult to handle. While Jane had no objections to feasting on Lisbon's shapely rear barely covered in too short sleep shorts, it was the unconscious hiking of that same rear end as she scoped their surroundings he was finding much too inviting. Seriously doubting the sanity of the pervert living inside him, he wisely resisted the urge to pat one inviting cheek in a manner getting him torn apart limb by bloody limb. While the voice in his head was shouting, "Down boy!" his itchy palm was urging him to go for it. Yes, he'd gone totally insane.

"Sorry, Jane." Lisbon said as she settled on his lap once again suddenly aware her seat wasn't as comfortable as it had once been. "Ah, Jane, seriously?" Lisbon said as she wiggled into a more comfortable position carefully avoiding what was making her uncomfortable in the first place.

All things considered, she wasn't feeling all that sympathetic to his pain. Jane had turned her down earlier. If he hadn't, he wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Or, if he was, she would be more willing to make it all go away. But, since he had, she so wasn't going there. Lisbon conveniently forgot how grateful she'd been he'd not taken her up on her offer when she'd shamelessly climbed him like a monkey on a tree. Or that he'd stopped her when she'd all but stripped him bare. Nor did she remember the obvious struggle it had taken for one of them to remain the adult when they'd both wanted to combust in the heat of the moment like two horny teenagers totally lacking in self-restraint.

"Lisbon, get over it. I'm a man. I've been holding a beautiful woman I'm highly attracted to for the better part of an hour. If that isn't enough, said woman has been thrusting her nicely rounded bottom in my face the majority of that time, so yeah; I'm more than a little hot and bothered." Jane crassly reminded her.

"Get over it." Lisbon snarked. "You're the one who turned me down earlier."

"Yes, I did, and I'd turn you down now. Teresa, when we're finally intimate it won't be in an adrenaline, fear filled high neither of us will remember in the morning. And it won't be because Red John's drove us together either. I won't give him that victory even if you would." Jane said quietly.

"I hadn't thought about it like that." Lisbon said as she absently played with his fingers realizing he was right.

"I didn't think you had. Surely you realize Red John was counting on me getting you out of the CBI before they got you in hand cuffs? He was counting on someone warning me as he knows we both have friends within the Bureau as he has informants there as well. He also knew my taking us back to my roots was a possibility. He prepared for all contingencies as he always does." It was Jane's turn to thread his fingers through hers.

"What if you hadn't gotten me out in time?" Lisbon asked not wanting to contemplate such a fate.

"He'd have gone to Plan B which I'm sure neither of us would have liked as well as Plan A given you'd be in jail awaiting trial. That isn't a place I ever want you to be. You wouldn't like it on the inside and you certainly wouldn't have my aptitude for getting along in there. You're much too innocent and good." Ignoring her snort, Jane squeezed her hand silently vowing Lisbon would never see the wrong side of a jail cell no matter what happened with the Rafferty case.

"I'm not going to prison, Jane. I didn't kill Rafferty and they're going to figure that out before it's over." Lisbon proclaimed with more bravado than either of them felt.

"I know you didn't and yes, they will." About the time Red John decided he'd had enough with tormenting them and turned the evidence. Or they found a way to turn it before him.

In the interim, their old "friend" intended torturing them even more than he already was. Knowing there were APB's and BOLO's out on Teresa Lisbon and Patrick Jane in all fifty states already had both of them unhinged to the point they had a healthy dose of paranoia neither had really experience before. How could it not? While they interacted with the public sporadically, mostly out of necessity, they were cautious in where they went and in what they did. They didn't work the fair except behind the scenes. They always varied their appearances every where they went. And they never went to the same grocery store or coin operated laundry twice. They'd only gone to the pool hall with the guys because it was the last night before they pulled out of town.

It wasn't like any of them were recognizable as carnies though it was obvious before the evening was over that someone knew exactly who Lisbon and Jane were. The only plus side to that unexpected debacle was if anyone had thought they recognized them and placed a call to the local PD, their stalker would have put an end to any such queries. His Master didn't want his prey caught yet. Red John was having too much fun playing cat and mouse. He certainly was. Their scare was nothing more than a flagrant reminder of exactly who possessed the power in their current contest. Or who thought he did. Jane was far from giving him that privilege.

For the most part, though, their life when they weren't working during the day was spent in their trailer sipping tea and telling stories. Over the course of the past few weeks they'd accidently shared many revelations they'd never meant to tell anyone. Least of all each other. They'd also come to realize too late that there was something about those moments bringing them closer together than all of the years coming before. Such confidences and the heightened feelings coming with them were far more potent landmines than either of them were ready for.

Though he'd figured out Lisbon's story within a few minutes of meeting her, Jane had never known anything beyond the disjointed details she'd deigned to share. Now he knew more. Not enough to appease his curiosity; but, enough to understand her underlying abandonment and trust issues more clearly than he had before. She'd had a good, loving family before her mother was killed. Less so after her father became a mean drunk. She'd been powerless to stop her father from drinking himself to death; but, she done a commendable job of protecting her brothers. That Lisbon turned out the incredible woman she was in spite of the abuses and lack of guidance was a miracle. That she'd been a tempering influence in her brothers' lives was a given. To be so young, she'd greatly shaped the men they'd eventually become. If Tommy and Annie were any indication of her influence, she'd done a hell of a job under the circumstances. As Jane was sure she'd do with any child she might bear down the road.

As for Lisbon, he'd accidently revealed more about his life as a husband and father to her than he'd ever revealed to anyone else including the people who'd known him back then. Jane knew Lisbon had never questioned his love for his wife and daughter. However, she had wondered what kind of man lurked beneath the charming con. She'd never known he'd been a doting husband and father first. Or that he'd been seriously considering leaving his trade behind as Angela had asked when they'd both been taken. It wasn't like they honestly needed the money. He'd never told her, or anyone else, the details of his life for a reason. The less they knew about him, and the more aloof he was, the easier it was to pull away and for them to let him when the time came. He'd not counted out the persistence of one T. Lisbon, SAC. She'd been the thorn in his side from the start and she'd ruined many a plan though she didn't know it.

Twirling a golden curl he found himself wishing was Lisbon brown, Jane recalled the rapt look on her face when he'd answered the tentative question he'd never thought she'd ask. Lisbon had wanted to know what it was like the night his child was born. He'd been both surprised at her daring and not so surprised. The woman on his lap was surprisingly maternal. He'd always known that; but, he'd seen the mother in action with Hightower's children. She handled those two lively youngsters with a practiced hand.

It was obvious to him that Lisbon had always wanted children of her own even if she'd deny the fact as vocally as she'd denied her pleasure in being asked to be Van Pelt's bridesmaid. She been cute as a button managing Madeline's offspring and she'd been cute as a button standing there so awkwardly in that ghastly pink dress. More than cute as a button. He'd been seized by thoughts totally inappropriate for work before Cho had interrupted them in such a timely manner and they'd gone up in an imaginary puff of smoke.

Jane shook his head at the thought he'd found himself quite taken with the womanly aspect of Lisbon. She was every bit as beguiling as the deadly pint sized kick ass cop. Never let it be said Patrick Jane didn't have a masochistic streak in him when it came to certain women. He had a feeling the woman on his lap could make it hurt so good. She'd been doing a fine job of just that a few hours ago when he'd so reluctantly stopped her questing hands.

Back to the thought at hand, Lisbon's eyes had glazed over appreciatively when he'd told her he'd left his first big break on national television in the middle of his interview with a well known talk show host to witness the birth of his daughter. Charlotte Anne had decided to make her grand entrance a couple of days early with impeccable Jane timing. Lisbon had taken his hands and gazed at him adoringly like he was the protagonist of one of those stupid chick flicks she disdained in public but were favorite guilty pleasures as he well knew having watched a number of them with her.

Surely the woman hadn't thought he'd miss the birth of his only child in favor of a national con and monetary gain? He'd arrived in the birthing room in time to hold Angela's hand and see his bright eyed offspring slither juicily into the world. His wife had been incomparably beautiful in all her sweaty glory and his daughter perfect in spite of her undeniably gross entrance into the alien world now her home. Lisbon had gazed into his eyes as though she couldn't believe he'd share such a moment with her in such vivid detail.

In truth, a part of him couldn't believe he had. Marrying Angela and creating Charlotte Anne were the only two truly good things he'd ever done in his long, sorry life. He'd never been willing to share that with anyone but them. He'd been rocked to his toes to realize his willingness to share his most sacred moment only emphasized the importance of the woman across from him in his life. Perhaps he could add saving Lisbon to that very short list of goodness before he was done.

A faint noise penetrating his consciousness, Jane's eyes refocused on the present and the woman so ardently jabbering in his ear.

"Jane, snap out of it. You've been in la la land for a good ten minutes." Lisbon snapped her fingers in front of his face.

He hadn't even noticed she'd checked out the window three times while he was taking his trip down memory lane or wherever he'd gone. It wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, that Jane had spaced on her. She just hadn't expected it in the middle of their conversation or at a time like this.

"I'm sorry, Lisbon. I was thinking about everything. About how that while I'm sorry this happened to you, I'm glad we've had this opportunity to get to know each other." Jane reluctantly admitted.

"We've always known each other Jane." Lisbon corrected him. Well, maybe not always; but for a very long time.

"Yes, I suppose we have; but, we haven't always trusted each other as much as we should." Jane quietly admitted. Oh, he'd trusted Lisbon far more than she'd trusted him, and rightly so. But, that had had to change over the last few weeks for both of them.

"I haven't had a whole lot of choice." Lisbon agreed.

"I won't let you down." Jane said.

"I know." Lisbon agreed. "You anchor me when all of this gets too much."

"That's what I'm here for." Jane touched her cheek lightly. "I've done this before. I know how disorienting it can be."

"I suppose you do." Lisbon kissed the curve of his jaw in thanks.

"Trust me, I do." He gave her that wicked smile reminiscent of a shark scenting prey. The one that made her want to do anything but trust him which surprisingly she did in spite of that smile.

Jane was pleased she'd gotten used to the constant variations as the days stretched into weeks. She'd had little choice. She'd also had one constant in her life: him. And he had her which was far less dangerous for Jane. Lisbon had always been the one constant in his life since their very first year. Not so much for her. She'd always had the team and the CBI. Now, she had none of that. She only had him and the identities they'd created. The very intimate identities they both now wore like second skins.

Red John was counting on that. He was counting on them losing their way and falling into bed together. Jane wasn't naïve enough to think the serial killer didn't know there were unresolved feelings between them. Since sleeping with Lorelei hadn't torn them apart as he'd hoped it would, he'd had to find another method short of killing Jane's handler. He wasn't ready to do that. What better way than forcing them into a situation where the tension between them was bound to become more pronounced with every passing day and their ability to fight it more compromised the longer they were together? It was only natural that one, or both of them, would question the reality of a relationship born of trauma when all of this was over if it was ever truly over. Jane wasn't about to let that happen.

"Lisbon, you know I didn't reject you a while ago. I simply kept both of us from doing the very foolish thing we both wanted to do." Jane kissed her forehead.

"I know and I'm glad you did." Lisbon admitted though she'd have certainly enjoyed every moment if they had.

"When we finally come together, you're going to know it's real. It has nothing to do with our circumstance." Jane said kissing her.

"I know that too." Lisbon said quietly.

"Do you kn ow the wall is gone?" Jane wiggled his bare ring finger in front of her. "You should have figured that out by now."

"You're really okay with that." She'd never expected this moment to come. Sure, the ring had been gone for a number of weeks; but, she'd thought it was out of necessity and nothing more. It seemed she may have been wrong.

"I was fine when I did it, Lisbon; I told you so." Jane quietly reminded her. "I also told you it was time to move on."

"Yes, you did." Lisbon recalled their conversation and how shell shocked she'd felt at the time watching Jane remove that ring she'd noted every day for ten long years.

The slip of gold silently reminding her, in moments of weakness, that Patrick Jane was emotionally unavailable to any woman. Even if a part of him wanted to be. She'd noticed that at times as well and marveled at his self control.

"Lisbon, all of this would have happened eventually without Red John's machinations. My stunt with Lorelei made you confront the feelings you've fought to deny. And me, well, as I already knew I had feelings for you all it told me was that I was fully capable of giving you what a woman deserves if such an opportunity ever presented itself. It gave me the right to contemplate an after." Jane said quietly.

"An after with me?" Lisbon asked.

"Do you honestly think there could be anyone else?" Jane asked.

"Do you think that's wise? It's not like you've really been back out there since your wife's death…." Lisbon reminded him though a part of her was alreadly soundly kicking her butt for uttering those words out loud.

"I've had plenty of opportunities to have an "after" over the years. I've just never taken any of the lovely ladies up on their offers as I've always known there was something better waiting for me back home." Jane whispered in her ear conveniently forgetting he'd done just that with Lorelei. She'd been the means to an end. Red John's girl; but, never a lover.

"Damn it, Jane." Lisbon closed her eyes at his sultry tone fighting the overpowering urge to push Jane down on the couch and ravish him.

Cussing under her breath, she promised that crowing voice in her head falling on its butt at her even having such a thought that she'd never read another badly written Regency romance as long as she lived. No matter how long the trip was between cities and no matter how dismal the choice of reading material at the drug store. She'd buy a crime novel instead.

"Anticipation is a beautiful thing." Jane smirked at the blatant desire in her eyes.

"Bastard." Lisbon snarked.

"I may be a bastard; but, I'm a smart bastard. I'm not going to let anything mess things up between us." Jane promised. "Besides, I have something I think you'll like better than sex."

"Nothing's better than sex, Jane, not when it's good." And she had a feeling sex with Jane would be mind boggling for no other reason than the rampant lust between them.

"Oh, it'll be good, Lisbon." Jane reassured her. "It'll be us. How could it be any way else?"

"Conceited much?" He probably had a right to be. "Jane, what are you doing?" Lisbon asked as he leaned over to pull an unfamiliar cell phone from the drawer beside him.

"I think it's time to make a call you've wanted to make for a while. It'll be interesting to see who answers. I suspect the lucky fellow will be Cho." Jane said as he dialed the number in his head.

"You can't do that, Jane. It's the middle of the night." Lisbon protested in spite of the swirling excitement coiling in her belly. She so wanted to talk to one of her guys after weeks of being away and she really didn't care which one.

"Yeah, it is, and Cho's probably still awake." Jane said as he pushed the dial button.

"Maybe he is; but, it's still not right. What if he's asleep? The guys get an early start." Lisbon softly reminded him.

"Yeah, and so do we. Besides, you still want to speak to your Number One." Jane said indulgently.

"Yeah, I do." Lisbon whispered not wanting to say the words out loud in case no one answered. "But what if he has a guest?"

"They'll get over it." Jane rolled his eyes at yet another useless protest. "Cho, My Man, I knew the lucky fellow would be you." Jane absently petted Lisbon's hair as he spoke into the phone. "What did you do, draw straws to see who got to hide it?...Oh, just took the phone from Van Pelt when she wasn't looking….I see….Yes, I agree you are probably the best choice and I should have slipped the phone to you in the first place. But it was easier to get to Grace's purse and far less obvious…Well, we really must do this again sometime; but, I think someone would like to talk to you…She's threatening to take the cell from my hand…." Jane rolled his eyes thinking if anyone had ever told him he'd want to 'Shush' Cho, he'd have thought them insane. The man had never talked so much in his life. "Here, I think you want this." Jane dropped the cell in Lisbon's impatiently waiting fingers.

"Cho?" Lisbon accepted the phone from his hand. "Yeah, Jane's with me…Yeah, he's taking good care of me…Yeah, surprise, he really is…He isn't taking care of me like that, Cho, and you shouldn't be thinking such things much less speaking them. I'm still your boss and I can still bust your butt down to traffic control…." Jane smirked at Lisbon's prim tone.

Though he wouldn't rile her up by correcting the remark she'd just made, they both knew differently. He would gladly take care of her exactly like that as soon as she was willing. Amend that. He would gladly take Lisbon to his bed as soon as she was both willing and not under duress. In fact, he was eagerly anticipating just such a moment.

Given their relationship the last few months since Lorelei and the fact they were always hanging out together, he knew the thought had crossed the teams' minds that they were together like that at least casually. Jane could have set the record straight for them. If, and when, they came together it would be anything but casual on either side.

"Oh, it was Van Pelt who brought that up. Like that makes it any better. I'm going to have a talk with all of you when I get back…." Lisbon promised in her best SAC voice. "Speaking of Van Pelt, how are Rigsby and Benjamin?...That's good to know. Give Benjy a kiss for me…Yeah, Cho, I'm coming back as soon as all of this is over…No, I can't tell you where we are…Use your head. The less you know, the better it will be for all of you and the safer we'll be. Plausible deniability, Cho...No, I won't change my mind. Tell the guys hello for me and stay out of trouble until I get back…Yeah, I know Jane gets you in trouble…Yes, I know you'll keep all of this to yourselves. You have to…I think Jane wants to speak to you." Lisbon handed the cell back to Jane who put it immediately to his ear.

"Cho, listen to me. I need you to go into evidence and look at everything they took from the crime scene. Make a note of anything that's missing. Yes, some of the evidence will be missing. No, the gun will be there. The murder weapon suddenly going missing would be an obvious indicator of either a frame job or that one of you is trying to impede the case.

On second thought, it might be missing. Keep your nose clean, Cho, and your actions above reproach. But, I still need you guys digging deeper into the case. Yes, I know it'll have to be on the sly as you're not on the case. Minelli and LaRoche will expect nothing less. Anyway, this is what I need you to do…."

Feeling safe for the first time since she'd found that damnable smiley face, Lisbon closed her eyes and listened to the plan unfurling between the man holding her and her right hand man. Between the two of them, they might eventually get her back home and catch Rafferty's real killer. Granted, it would take a miracle to get her old job back; but, she still hoped it could be done. Jane pulled off miracles on a regular basis and her past commendations would stand her in good stead. The need for sleep overriding curiosity, Lisbon drifted off trusting Jane would never let her fall.

"Yeah, Cho, we're on the same page…I'll give you a call in a few days to check on progress…I don't know exactly when. It'll be when I feel it's safe…Yes, give the guys Lisbon's love. She misses all of you…I won't let anything happen to Lisbon. You have my word." Jane said as he clicked the phone off mildly surprised he had a dead weight in his arms.

Smiling slightly, he put the cell back in the drawer and easily rose to his feet happy that Lisbon really didn't weigh very much. Though unexpected, he really wasn't surprised she'd finally conked out on him. They'd both been through a lot over the past few hours and he was tired himself. Carrying his burden into the bedroom and depositing her gently on the mattress, Jane walked around to his side and carefully slid in behind her. Spooning up to her back, he was happy to hear her even breathing. It wouldn't do to wake Lisbon up now that she'd finally fallen asleep. Closing his eyes, Jane found it wasn't all that difficult to drift off when he had his woman in his arms.

#

Opening his eyes, Jane glanced at the clock beside him in disbelief. Far from never falling asleep, he'd spent the past five hours in oblivion with Lisbon happily drooling on his shoulder. She'd managed to roll over so they were entangled breast to breast at some time in the night. Not that he minded. He didn't at all. He was quite happy to be as close to Lisbon as she wanted to be. Allowing his bed mate a few more minutes of rest, Jane dissected his conversation with Cho. He had a feeling if they started really looking at the evidence under a fine toothed comb, they would see shades of Roy Carmen all over again. The doctor had failed in his ploy to frame Lisbon and Red John would fail as well.

Once the team gathered and relayed the information he needed, he'd start undermining law enforcements' air-tight evidence with a vengeance. The real killer would be behind bars before too long. Yes, the real killer, not Red John. Jane was under no illusions the serial killer had whacked Rafferty with his own two hands. If he had, there'd have been a red smiley face somewhere.

However, there wasn't any doubt Red John had him killed and Lisbon had stumbled blindly into his trap. Fortunately, he'd gotten her out of that trap before the cell door bammed locked behind her. Now, they just had to keep Lisbon out of jail until they could clear her name and restore the life she'd built for herself. It was a pretty tall order, but if anyone could do that he knew he could.

"Lisbon." Jane gently shook her.

"Go 'way." Lisbon snuggled deeper against him as she always did.

"Lisbon, we have to get up now. We need to hit the road in a couple of hours." Jane gently shook her again.

They had a lot to do in getting ready to go and, thanks to their unplanned adventure, they were getting a much later start than planned. That being said, they still had to get showered and dressed, fed, get all the various tanks emptied and the lines disconnected, and the travel trailer hooked up to the truck. If that wasn't enough, they had to drive four hundred miles and get set up again once they arrived at the new site situated smack in between Topeka and Kansas City. That was a pretty tall order on a good day. They weren't getting the freshest of starts given everything that had happened.

"Don't want to, Jane." Lisbon burrowed a little closer against him refusing steadfastly to open her eyes.

"You don't have a choice." Jane said as he decided it was time to take that drastic final step of kissing her awake.

Giving that he was all but wearing a Lisbon blanket and she was doing a very good impression of a monkey clinging to a tree, it wasn't all that difficult to kiss his way from her eyelids to her petulantly pursed lips. Jane smiled at Lisbon's closed eyed response of clinging even harder to his doing just that. He wasn't at all surprised at the persistent tangling of tongues she was initiating either nor was he surprised at the hand suddenly cupping her breast against his better judgment. Lisbon had that affect on him. What he'd meant as a gentle coaxing into the world of lucid, she was fast turning into something far more appealing. The woman was undeniably passionate even half asleep.

"As much as I'd love to continue what we've started, Teresa, we can't stay and play." Jane gave a subtle rock of his hips against her leaving no doubts to the validity of his words. "We have to be on the road in the next couple of hours. Everyone is counting on us and there's no way once this gets started either of us will be willing to stop." He certainly wouldn't.

"I guess we wouldn't; but, I could sure use another kiss before I take my shower." Lisbon said.

"I think that can be arranged." Jane said as he pressed his lips against hers in a kiss far more chaste and tender than they'd exchanged this morning.

"It's getting far more difficult to resist you with every passing day. That stunt Red John pulled last night just proves it. I still want you every bit as much right now as I did then." Lisbon admitted as she pulled away from his lips.

"The feeling is mutual I assure you; but, we're not doing anything impetuous or stupid. I won't have you doubting either of us down the road. In case you need to hear the words, I don't play games, Lisbon. I play for keeps and I always win." Well, most of the time anyway and that was close enough to "always" to do in a pinch.

"I suppose you do." There was a moment when Lisbon clearly wasn't sure she was ready to be kept; but, she seemed to get over it.

"How's your shoulder?" Jane quickly changed the subject before she had time to dwell on the words he probably shouldn't have said out loud just yet.

"How do you think?" Lisbon responded.

"You tell me." He didn't need to put any ideas in her mind.

"It hurts." He wasn't really surprised by her words.

"Let me take a look." A bruise that nasty had to hurt. "Get your shower while I do what I can outside then I'll get mine and cook breakfast while you rest."

"It's not that bad and I'm not an invalid. I can certainly help do what needs to be done." Lisbon said as she rolled out of bed.

"Yes, I'm sure you can; but, I don't need you to. If you want to do anything, check the phone to see if Cho's texted anything over after your shower." Jane said as he changed into the same jeans and tee shirt he'd worn last night. He'd put on something clean after he'd taken his shower.

"I'll do that." Lisbon said as she disappeared into the shower confident Jane was about to putter around outside. He so better not press his face against that tiny window trying to sneak a peek at her naked as she'd caught him doing a couple of times before. She'd clean his clock for his trouble.

#

Having spent the past few minutes deciphering the text Cho had sent over, Lisbon looked up as Jane exited the shower sexily bare chested with damp haired. While she much preferred his golden curls, she couldn't deny he had just as potent a pull on her senses with darker hair. Draining her cup, Lisbon returned the cell to the drawer and pushed up to her feet.

She'd already made her coffee and started his kettle in preparation for the breakfast Jane had promised to make. It was obvious from the Cho's message, the team had gotten an early start and they were already uncovering inconsistencies. She only hoped they could be as sneaky on their own as they were when Jane as involved. Somehow she suspected he'd already given Cho the necessary instruction via long distance. He was fully capable of that.

"You get everything done?" Lisbon asked as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"We're all hooked up. It'll take about fifteen minutes to finish what has to be done." Jane said as he cracked eggs in a bowl wondering briefly exactly where those questing hands were going to end up before she was done. "Lisbon, you're being a very naughty girl." He rebuked as he quickly diced ham and poured the beaten eggs into two frying pans.

"You want me to stop?" Lisbon asked already knowing the answer.

"What do you think?" Jane asked as he added ham and cheese to the half cooked omelets.

"Not particularly." Lisbon answered his question.

"You'd be right. I am a little surprised that all it took to release your inhibitions was practically getting me naked last night." Jane said as he tipped her omelet on her plate before quickly flipping his own.

"Maybe I liked what I saw." Lisbon kissed his bare shoulder.

"Maybe you did." Jane said as he disentangled her from his back and gave her kiss before dropping her plate in her hands.

"I don't want to die never knowing what it feels like to be with you." Lisbon quietly confessed looking him in the eyes.

"You're not going to die, Lisbon, so stop being melodramatic. Red John isn't after your head right now. I can't promise that day won't come when he finally tires of the game, but I can assure you isn't any time soon. Oh, and I can assure you as well that he will never get your head or any other part of you. I won't let him." Jane reassured her. "However, I think we're both on the same page. Unfortunately, things keep getting in the way at the moment like these eggs and a four hundred mile drive." Jane kissed her forehead again in passing as he plucked the dish out of her hands and set both heaping plates of ham and cheese filled omelet on the table.

"Yeah, they do, mainly you." Lisbon set his tea by his plate while holding on to her cup of strong coffee before taking her seat. In spite of the frustration she was feeling, she'd made him a perfect cup as usual. There were better ways to have her revenge than childishly sabotaging Jane's beverage of choice.

"I don't think you have to worry about me being one of those things for very much longer." Jane slid into his seat and dribbled honey across his toast.

"Why is that?" Lisbon asked as she took a healthy bite of her ham filled omelet.

"For the same reason the team calls us Lisbon and Jane and no one really expects to find one of us without the other most of the time. Do you think LaRoche was all that surprised to find us together when he came to spread his creepy threatening cheer?" Jane asked.

"Probably not." Lisbon agreed as she took another healthy bite of eggs never realizing how hungry she was until she tasted them.

"We're like chocolate and peanut butter, Lisbon…destined to be together." Jane smirked at her disgusted eye roll.

"That's really bad, Jane, and I can't believe you said it." Lisbon stuck her in finger in her open mouth in the universal gesture for gagging her brothers had been so fond of.

"Come now, Lisbon, don't be like that." Jane laughed out loud at her open revulsion.

"You are so not getting in my pants after that one." Resisting the urge to laugh with him, Lisbon took a bite of toast instead. The man was impossible.

"I wouldn't bet on that." Jane's eyes laughed at her over the rim of his cup as if to say, "Now, who's being the silly one?"

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon took a bite of toast ignoring the familiar tingle at his heated look. They were probably both going to die of a heart attack if Red John ever left them along long enough to do the dirty deed. But what a way to go. "I want to see my critters before we go. Punkin doesn't like being in the same cage with Sunny and Jimbo likes to put them together. They won't be happy campers if he does." Pumpkin the rabbit, otherwise known as Punkin, wasn't known to play well with others and especially not Patrick Jane.

"Fine, you go visit your furry little friends while I finish what has to be done. We'll meet up here in say twenty minutes." Jane said as he carried their empty plates to the sink.

"That sounds like a plan." Lisbon said as she gave him a kiss before walking out the door with thoughts of Daisy and Punkin dancing through her head.

#


	9. Chapter 9

#

Walking across the yard, Lisbon couldn't help looking over her shoulder. She couldn't shake the feeling someone was watching her. And she didn't mean Crazy Matilde staring through her gingham curtains at everyone. Matty was a given and as much a part of the fold as Daisy was. Lisbon had learned early on their carney village shielded several members who weren't quite right. But, like everyone else, they had their role to play and they played it well.

No, this was someone who shouldn't be watching her. And they were doing it from over that hill in the trees near that sorry excuse for a pond Daisy was so fond of. She knew it. Every cop instinct in her body was screaming they were and her instincts were rarely wrong. Shaking the feeling, Lisbon decided to ignore what she thought she was sensing.

Whoever it was didn't intend to hurt her or anyone else as long as they left him alone. That was what Jane said and she chose to believe him even if her heart was beating out of her chest. The guy was simply gathering intel for Red John. Jane had said that as well. Good luck to him. There really wasn't much to gather. She was going to check on her animals one last time before walking back across the grounds, climbing in the passenger seat of that silver truck, and leaving with Jane. If he wanted to know where they were going, he could follow them. Otherwise, he could just get lost.

"Hey, Jimbo, it's bath time I guess?" Lisbon said.

"Well, it would be if I could get Daisy to cooperate." Jimbo motioned to the slipped tether sloppily piled by the stake never holding a pachyderm Daisy's size if she really wanted to get free. As it was, the metal spike worked just fine. Her elephant friend much preferred untying her leash and laughing at her humans instead. That was far more challenging than simply pulling a stupid piece of metal from the ground.

"Want me to go get her?" Lisbon asked knowing exactly where the naughty miscreant was hiding.

"Yeah, if you wouldn't mind I'd appreciate the help. I know you guys are pulling out this morning." Jimbo said as he scrubbed one of the pigmy goats. Lisbon thought it was Hettie Jean. She really couldn't tell with all the suds but her greeting bleat sounded familiar.

"Is that Hettie Jean?" Lisbon asked as she surveyed the copse of trees.

"It's Miss Hettie Jean all right." Jimbo said as he rinsed the goat in warm water.

"Watch her. She kicks. Yeah, just like that." Lisbon winced as a soaking wet Hettie Jean kicked free of Jimbo's hold.

She'd gotten kicked a few times herself before she'd realized even pygmy goats had tells if she knew where to look. That particular sweetie tended to swish her tail before letting her handler have it. Fortunately, none of her miniature menagerie misbehaved in the petting zoo. They seemed to adore both the children and adults. They saved their high spirited high jinks for her and Jimbo and sometimes Pete.

"Yeah, I guess she does." Jimbo said as he rubbed his arm.

Lisbon shook her head thinking Jimbo wasn't the brightest bulb in the room; but, he was good with animals and that was worth something.

"I'll go get Daisy. If Jack wanders over, tell him I'll be back in a few." Lisbon said as she meandered in the general direction of the elephant's favorite hidey hole.

Fetching her girl would provide the perfect cover for spying on her voyeur. If she took the right side of the path and avoided the area where she thought he was hiding. Lisbon knew better than presenting a threat of any kind. She should be perfectly safe as long he continued thinking all she was interested in was a runaway elephant. Drawing attention to themselves really wasn't on Red John's agenda and taking any kind of pot shot at her would definitely do that. It might even get her stalker shot instead as most of the carnies had guns. Though they didn't know it, she did too. Walking over the top of the low hill, Lisbon spotted Daisy exactly where she expected and that black unmarked cop car well to the right of them as well. It was only common sense the driver was nearby, too.

"Hey, Girl, I brought you an apple." Lisbon pulled the shiny red delicious she'd taken from Jane's stash out of her pocket and held it out not at all surprised when it instantly disappeared into the elephant's mouth.

As much as she wanted to hug Daisy, she wasn't about to hug an oversized mud ball. Jimbo definitely had his work cut out for him giving the elephant a bath. With any luck he'd manage to get the job done without her stealing the hose and spraying him with it. That was one of Daisy's favorite tricks as Lisbon had learned early on. It had only taken getting sprayed a couple of times for her to learn to keep the hose out of Daisy's reach.

"Want another one? Then you're going to have to follow me." Lisbon held up the apple before skipping down the trail surreptitiously sneaking peaks at her stalker absorbing as much information as she could in short, covert glances.

"Here she is, Jimbo, and here's your apple." Lisbon gave Daisy the piece of fruit before handing her off to her handler for bath time.

Glancing in the direction of the travel trailer, she noticed Jane still wasn't done disconnecting all the pipes and cords. It was taking him far longer than he'd expected or else he'd gotten side tracked by one of the carnies which was far more likely.

"I'll take the bunny. You take Daisy." Lisbon said as she reached for the floppy eared ginger rabbit Jimbo was holding in a fluffy towel.

Sitting down in Jimbo's vacant chair, Lisbon watched Daisy obediently following the large, quiet man with her trunk in his back pocket voraciously searching for peanuts. Rubbing the towel over the bunny on her lap, Lisbon's gaze flickered briefly over the rabbits hopping around about. As popular as Hettie Jean and her kind were, the rabbits were the kiddie favorite at the petting zoo and Pumpkin the most beloved which didn't surprise Lisbon at all. She was the largest and fluffiest rabbit they had. She was also incredibly docile and sweet.

"What are you doing here?" Lisbon didn't need to look up from what she was doing to know whose shadow was stealing her light. She was also mildly put out he'd snuck up on her so silently. She should have figured he was up to something when he was nowhere in sight.

"I'm coming to get you. I'm sorry it took longer than expected; but, I've finished everything for now even if Smokey Joe distracted me for a while. However, we can leave as soon as you lose the rabbit and wash up." Jane said. "I thought Jimbo was taking care of all of this anyway." Jane motioned to the bunnies happily hopping about Lisbon's feet safely contained in their makeshift pen.

"He's bathing Daisy and putting her back in her cage. I had to fetch her from the mud hole. Oh, and I'm not losing Punky. She's my girl." Lisbon rubbed noses with her ginger colored friend.

"I wouldn't do that. The little sucker bites." Jane gazed at his abused right index finger as he watched Lisbon cuddle the finger nipping demon bunny from hell.

"Not me she doesn't. I'm not stupid enough to mess with her food." Lisbon gave Jane a dirty look as she protectively hovered over her charge. He so wasn't making Hasenpfeffer out of Pumpkin so he could get the idea right out of his head.

"Yeah, well, maybe you should. There's a reason she's such a hefty girl." Jane observed.

Now wasn't the time to tell Lisbon how adorable she looked hugging her long eared friend. Not when she was still put out with him for telling Punky she was rabbit stew on four furry paws even if it was an empty threat. Everyone knew carnies didn't eat their money makers or their pets for that matter. That vicious carnivore disguised as a nose wiggling ball of fluff just happened to be both.

"Don't listen to him. What does he know? You're mostly fur anyway." Lisbon said as she set the rabbit back on the ground.

"Come along, Amber. The rabbits will be there when we get where we're going. So will the rest of your menagerie." Jane said as he helped her out of the enclosure and draped his arm lightly around her shoulders.

He was still amazed at how well Lisbon had taken to the animals given her initial reservations about being around anything with four legs and potentially gnashy teeth. She'd found them only marginally more acceptable than the perps she arrested. Times had certainly changed in a few short weeks.

"They better be. Bye, Jimbo, we'll see you in a couple of days." Lisbon waved back at him as Jane steered her towards their trailer.

"Now tell me what you were really doing." Jane said softly as he kissed her ear.

"He was up there in the trees watching us. I saw him and that same unmarked car that ran us off the road last night." Lisbon said back.

"Did he see you?" Jane asked.

"You know he did. I'm sure he was watching my every move; but, I didn't let on that I saw him. I fetched Daisy and brought her back to Jimbo for her bath. He seemed to take my actions at face value as he continued doing exactly what he'd been doing before I appeared on the hill." Lisbon walked through the door Jane held open for her. "He was watching us through binoculars."

"Now tell me there rest of the story." Jane locked the door behind them.

"Who said there was more to tell?" Lisbon asked.

"To anybody else you looked like you were helping Jimbo out by drying that rabbit. To me, you were visibly shaken. Spill, Lisbon. What's the rest of the story?" Jane walked around the room making sure all the cabinets were tightly closed while Lisbon gathered her thoughts.

"His name's Bobby Wilkerson and he worked at the CBI for about five years. He was in the Violent Crimes Unit under Hendricks before he transferred to Colorado about six months after Bosco's death. I didn't think anything about it at the time. He was a good cop. It seems he must have transferred to Oklahoma at some time in the last year or two." Lisbon washed her hands in the sink before turning around to face to Jane.

"We need Cho to make some discrete queries in Colorado and Oklahoma to see if there's been any suspicious unsolved crimes that might make sense to us and not to them." Jane added that to his list of conversational topics for the next time they made contact with Lisbon's Number One.

"He'll find something. Wilkerson's one of Red John's tools." Lisbon chose to use Jane's more dehumanizing word for the officer instead of calling him a disciple as most people did.

It made the whole thing easier for her to handle. Bobby Wilkerson had seemed nothing but a level headed, decent cop who was good at his job. Then again, so had Craig O'Laughlin and everyone knew how that one turned out. She still had a scar and the occasional twinge in her shoulder as a souvenir.

"Yes, Lisbon, he is and we both already know that. What you really mean is not that he's one of Red John's tools; but, that he's probably the tool having something to do with Rebecca's murder and some of the other things that happened in the aftermath of Bosco's death. No wonder Red John was so well informed. We probably had cases that intersected with his unit at the time." Jane thought back trying to place any Wilkerson he might have met. "He's a tall, skinny balding guy with a tick in the right side of his jaw." Jane said.

"Yeah, he is. He still looks pretty much the same except he shaves his head now." Lisbon said.

"We worked about four cases with his unit before he transferred. They were nothing really important except he had plenty of opportunity to observe us." Jane recalled.

"While that's probably true, we can't do anything about it now." Lisbon said.

"No, we can't. Nor can we help that Red John has friends in the FBI, the CBI, and various local PDs. But we do need to get a move on. You did well, Lisbon, we may be on our way to our first big break. Or we may have made no headway at all." Jane observed in typical Jane fashion.

"I guess we'll see." Lisbon followed him back out the door locking it behind her before walking over to the truck calling Bobby Wilkerson sixty kinds of stupid for letting a freak like Red John turn a perfectly good cop.

#

Lisbon searched through the bag at her feet grabbing one of the three novels she'd purchased to read. She'd bought one romance and two murder mysteries. Yeah, she lived it every day; but there was only so much sugar and syrup a girl could take. Besides, she really liked seeing the bad guys caught. While Jane had an impressive solve rate, it wasn't one hundred percent. It wasn't humanly possible. That being said, she would never admit such a thing within her consultant's hearing. He'd take it as a personal affront to his abilities.

However, a certain expensive sports car driving fantasy detective did. Always catch the bad guys that is and boy were they bad. She couldn't wait to see what happened next. Actually, she needed to see what happened first as she'd yet to crack the lurid cover of her paperback. Lisbon smiled over the fact she'd been trying to find some down time to start this book for over six months and now she was. She'd been so serious about the project she even had a copy stuffed in her bedside drawer at home. Obviously, it hadn't helped. Between Jane's shenanigans and real life murderers never giving up, she hadn't found the time. Opening the book, she began reading about Lucas's newest case starting with the provocatively splayed victim he'd had to examine. She'd been there and done that numerous times usually with her trusty latex gloves covering her hands.

Looking up over an hour later, Lisbon realized something was off. For one thing, the interstate marker didn't say I-35 N and for another they were headed in the wrong direction. Instead of going North, they were headed West back in the direction in which they'd come. Back towards California via Amarillo and all the rest. They had been for quite some time if she didn't miss her guess. Setting her novel aside, she turned in her seat to confront her driver.

"What gives, Jane?" Lisbon quirked a brow at him questioningly.

"Not what you think." Jane pulled into a convenience store parking lot and reached under the seat. "Here, Lisbon, call your brother and let him know you're okay." He held a second disposable cell phone out to her.

"What?" Jane wasn't making any sense.

"Call Tommy and Annie and let them know you're okay. You can even call James and Pete if you like. I'm going to walk right over to that dumpster and toss this thing once you're done." On the off chance disposable phones weren't as disposable as claimed; the local landfill was a good place for the local PD to attempt finding one lone square of metal mixed in with a billion pounds of garbage.

"You drove an hour one way out of our way so I can call my brothers?" Lisbon honestly didn't know what to say. "You've got to be kidding me. For real?" She had to be dreaming. It was Cho last night, well in the wee hours of this morning more accurately, and the rest of the Lisbon clan today? What was Jane thinking?

"Yeah, Lisbon, I did and for real. Now do it." Jane urged her.

"Jane, I could have waited until it was safe. What about getting to the site? We've lost over two hours, possibly three." Lisbon said as she stared at the phone in her hand.

"You need to let your family know you're okay. They have a right to know so just make the call. As for the rest, we'll get to the site when we get there. There's no rush. We'll have a lot of spare time on our hands over the next couple of days. Who knows, maybe we'll have time for a picnic or something." Jane watched her stare hesitantly at the phone.

"Are you sure about all of this?" Lisbon asked.

"Positive. Now stop wasting time. Once we get where we're going and get set up, I'll go check the site and see what I can see. I'll do a better check up early tomorrow morning in the daylight. If everything's okay as I expect it will be since we come here every year, you and I will spend the rest of the day doing nothing. Pete and some of the others should roll in along with the first of the equipment later in the day. It'll probably be two more days before we need to begin setting up. The only way that'll change is if there's a problem which there rarely is.

Make your calls, Lisbon. Daylight's wasting." Jane looked out the window confident she was already dialing the first familiar number.

"Annie, it's Aunt Reese, let me speak to Tommy…I love you, too, Honey." That Lisbon hadn't wasted any time in dialing that number belied her words. "Tommy, listen, I've only got a minute. Yeah, I'm fine…Yeah, Jane's got my back…Yeah, we're doing okay…Yeah, you can tell James and Pete you heard from me; but, no one else…I know you already know that…This mess will get cleared up and I'll be back at work soon…I love you, too." Lisbon clicked the phone before dialing another two numbers and having similar conversations.

"I take it the Brothers Lisbon are well?" Jane asked as he took the phone she offered.

"They're concerned about me; but, other than that, they're doing fine." Lisbon agreed as she watched Jane wipe the phone clean before wrapping it in a thick handkerchief.

"I'm going to get rid of this and buy your favorite soda. If you need in there now's the time to go." Jane gestured in the direction of the ladies room as he tucked the phone in his pocket. "Oh, and another thing, we're actually headed Northwest more in the direction of Colorado and Utah than California." Jane corrected the rest of the assumption in Lisbon's head.

"You think of everything." Lisbon felt humbled that he'd gone to so much trouble for her yet again. He'd easily turned a seven hour day of driving into ten.

"Maybe not everything; but, hopefully enough to keep us ahead of the game." Jane agreed.

"Thank you." Lisbon leaned across the seat to give Jane enough of an appreciative kiss to put a smile on his face.

"Anything for you, Lisbon, anything for you." He opened the door and walked cockily over to the mostly empty dumpster at the side of the store.

Tossing the phone he walked over to where Lisbon stood waiting and escorted her inside. While she made the necessary stop, he loaded up on all the revolting, bad for you treats that put a smile on her face. Since she'd already done that for him, the least he could do was return the favor. She could haul her take to the truck while he made his own pit stop then they could hit the road in the right direction.

"What are you trying to do? Make me fat?" Lisbon gazed at the array of sweet and savory treats on the counter.

"That'll never happen. If anything you've lost weight the last few weeks. At least five pounds you didn't need to lose." Jane paid for their stash before handing the keys and the bag to Lisbon.

"Yeah, I think I have." Lisbon agreed.

"Then munch away. You could use a little more meat on your bones." Jane said as he turned on his heel.

"Thanks, I think." Lisbon grumped as she walked out the door.

More meat on her bones, indeed, she worked harder than she liked to keep that from happening. She was a lean, mean, perp catching machine and that was the way she liked it. What was Jane thinking? He probably wasn't and that was okay. Just because he bought all this junk didn't mean she had to eat it.

#

Lisbon glanced at her watch. It was hard to believe it wasn't yet ten o'clock on a Monday night. And their first night in the middle of a massive field almost perfectly situated smack in between Topeka and Kansas City to be exact. It was even harder to believe she wasn't remotely tired given the excitement of past day and night. But she wasn't. She'd napped a few hours and been up to driving part of the way while Jane did the same.

All in all, her first time driving that get up was going to be her last if she had a choice. Hauling a travel trailer wasn't anything she wanted to repeat. But, at least she could say she'd done it. Taking a sip of her wine, Lisbon took in her peaceful surroundings. By this time tomorrow, or the next day more likely, the whole area would be filled with the hustle and bustle she'd grown to know so well over recent weeks. And Amber and Jack would be front and center once again.

Until that time, she was going to enjoy the solitude of being in the middle of a field with no-one for company but Lisbon and Jane. Smokey Joe and the rest of the guys would be pulling in tomorrow evening as planned. Jane had called them earlier to let them know that, from his perspective, there was no need to rush. Everything was exactly as they'd been told and as it had been every other year they'd come here. He didn't foresee any problems and he wasn't inviting any. In the interim, he and Lisbon were going to hang about doing nothing for a couple of days until it was time to spring into action.

Though it was no one's business but their own, the only springing into action they were doing anytime soon they'd already done. They'd had their showers, set up their outside table and chairs, and gone to the market to buy fresh supplies. Besides the usual staples, Jane had also bought their evening meal of a plump herb infused rotisserie chicken, potato salad, marinated mushrooms, and freshly prepared garden peas. He'd added a pretty spray of multi-colored Gerbera's to the center of their table and purchased a fruity, medium bodied Sangiovese to bring out the herbs in the chicken. Lisbon looked up as Jane returned from inside offering in hand.

"You can't be serious?" Lisbon watched him set the generous slice of whip cream covered pumpkin cheesecake along with two clean forks between them. "I'm going to waddle by the time we get back to Sacramento."

"You might have regained the eight or ten pounds you've lost you mean." Jane said as he offered her a succulent bite.

"It was five pounds earlier today." Lisbon corrected him.

"Eight." Jane corrected her.

"So now you're a bathroom scale." Lisbon returned the favor and offered him a bite of cheesecake topped with brandied whip cream and chocolate curls.

"Nope, I just realized you're in two belt notches instead of one. Oh, and the jeans you're wearing are one of the two newest pairs you've bought. They're a size smaller than the others and they're still a little too big." Jane corrected her.

"Bastard. So now I'm too thin." Lisbon poured a little more wine in her glass.

"Considering I thought you were perfect before; yeah, you are." Jane admitted. "Stress and hard work will do that to a girl and keeping your furry little friends petting zoo worthy is hard work."

"Yeah, it is. If you'd told me I'd be pampering a bunch of rabbits, ponies, and goats a month ago, I'd have said bite me. I've never spent that much time around animals." Lisbon admitted. "I honestly wouldn't have taken the job if I'd had a choice."

"But you fell in love with Daisy and she's one of most temperamental beasts I know." Jane offered her the last nibble of dessert which Lisbon gladly licked off the fork in a manner that was anything but ladylike.

While the banter between them was silly, the hunger on Jane's face wasn't. He'd promised long ago he'd never seduce her over a meal and he wasn't. But his eyes definitely were. Lisbon hastily resumed their conversation before she leaned across that table and showed him exactly what that look was doing to her or, more accurately, crawled across it. If that happened, they would both get arrested for indecent exposure; but, they'd have a smile on their face.

"Yeah, and I was rather fond of that pony you bought me." Lisbon admitted.

"The one you sent to live at the farm outside of town." Jane reminded her.

"I could hardly keep a pony in my apartment." Lisbon defended her action.

"No, you couldn't, but you still visit him pretty regularly." Jane said.

"Yeah, I do. How do you know that?" Lisbon asked a little embarrassed to be caught doing such a silly thing.

"A little birdy told me." Jane knew because he visited the miniature pony farm when he was in that neck of the woods at the farmers' market himself.

"He's happier there playing with his friends and making babies." Lisbon said as she twirled her glass.

"Yeah, I think he is and he makes pretty little ponies that look just like him." Jane said as he drained her glass and set it aside.

"Hey, that was mine." Lisbon snatched her glass.

"There's plenty more where that came from and you'll take forever to finish. Let's go for a walk instead. The wine will still be here when we get back." Jane rose to his feet and took her by the hand drawing Lisbon from her seat.

"Do you think that's wise?" Lisbon asked as she surveyed the trees around the parameter through a cop's eyes.

"He's in Oklahoma, Lisbon. I'm not sure Red John knows where we are yet. This isn't the normal order of stops the fair usually follows so it may take him a while to figure out our current route. Besides, it's perfectly safe considering you've got a Glock tucked in your waistband and a .45 in your ankle holster. I don't think we have a thing to worry about." Jane said as he led her across the field.

"The sky is beautiful." Lisbon allowed Jane to settle her against his side as he matched his stride to her shorter one.

"It's a Hunter's Moon tonight." Jane said quietly enjoying the beauty of the full moon shining down on them.

"I saw the Harvest moon in September. It was beautiful." She'd sat on her patio drinking soda staring at that beautiful orangey red moon for hours.

"Yes, it was." Jane agreed.

"So what are we hunting, Jane? Or are we being hunted?" Lisbon asked with a shiver.

"Maybe we're hunting each other, and yes, we are certainly being hunted…just not at the moment." Jane gave her both the answer she desired and the one she didn't want to hear.

"I guess we are. Being hunted I mean." Lisbon didn't like the sound of that; but, it wasn't like there was anything either of them could do about it.

Not until they knew exactly who and what was hunting them. Knowing Wilkerson was out there was just the tip of the iceberg. Red John's games were more complex than one lone cop doing sloppy surveillance. Unfortunately, discovering anything more required the kind of up close and personal contact they could both do without. It required the next few pieces of the puzzle. Lisbon really wasn't relishing the next smiley face napkin or creepy tool staring through the trees with binoculars. She'd had entirely enough of that kind of action for the foreseeable future. She really had.

"Since there's nothing we can do at the moment, let's enjoy more pleasant things like figuring out how the fair will be set up. The Ferris wheel will go over there where it'll look the prettiest against the night sky and draw the largest crowd." Jane pointed off in the distance. "Mattie's fortune telling booth will probably be in the shadows over there. There's something about about a dark, creepy atmosphere drawing customers for tarot readings. And Punkin and friends will be right there not far from the entrance so they'll draw the rug rats before the parents ever know what's hitting them." Jane nuzzled her neck in a playful way making Lisbon laugh as she visualized everything he'd told her.

"Stop it, Jane." She swatted the wandering hand irreverently cupping her breast away.

"Stop it, Lisbon?" Jane's hand came to rest on her hip instead.

"Yeah, stop it. You promised you'd never seduce me over a meal." Lisbon primly reminded him knowing if there was someone out there watching she didn't want him to see Jane unrepentantly copping a feel. Some things were better left behind closed doors.

"I didn't." Jane said.

"What do you call feeding me cheesecake and wine?" Lisbon called him on it.

"Foreplay." Jane answered honestly.

It was a good thing they were both excellent multi-taskers for while their conversation had been silly and innocent, the feeding and eating had been anything but. There was something about forks and tongues and licking cheesecake slathered with whipping cream that was salaciously bawdy and full of promise. At least the way they'd done it. Jane had read every naughty thought in Lisbon's eyes and known she'd read the reciprocating thoughts in his.

Their heated, but silent exchanges, had reminded him why stopping her frenzied seduction last night had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. Saint Lisbon was undeniably hot when she chose to turn the heat up. He'd experienced that truth first hand and he refused to be so noble tonight when they were both lucid and in possession of all their faculties. That was one of the reason's he'd interrupted their drinking before the bottle was finished.

"You think?" Lisbon turned in his arms. Bracing her hands against his chest, she stood on her tiptoes planting her lips against his jaw.

"Yeah, Lisbon, I think." Deciding she didn't particularly care for the fact Jane was laughing at her, Lisbon wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him into a punishing kiss wiping that knowing grin right off his face and the breath from his lungs.

"Let's go inside." Lisbon took his hand and led the way.

"Does this mean you don't care where the funnel cake stand is going?" Jane asked.

"Not anymore." Lisbon said honestly as she gazed at the table hesitantly with her foot on the first step. That conversation could wait until tomorrow.

"Leave it for now." Jane said in her ear as he opened the door and followed her inside.

Who really cared about a few plates and a half empty bottle of wine under the circumstances? He definitely had more interesting activities than cleaning up on his mind. From her actions, he was pretty sure Lisbon felt the same way. Besides, they could tidy up later. If he was lucky, she would wear nothing but his shirt.

Drawing an unresisting Lisbon into his arms, Jane didn't waste any time in giving her as thorough a kissing as she'd given him on their makeshift patio. Two could play that game, and frankly, he thought he was winning. Lisbon was substantially more bruise lipped and out of breath than he'd been a few moments ago. She was also without her jeans and probably had no recollection of his removing them any more than she remembered his unbuttoning her shirt.

As for Jane, he much preferred as little as possible between them if she was going to insist on getting as close to him as she was. Not that he minded having Lisbon's arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He didn't mind at all. As he was sure she wasn't minding the way his body was quite obviously responding in a very noticeable way to her closeness. In fact, she was quite enjoying it if the sounds passing her lips were any indication. There were definite perks to having an athletic soon to be lover as he was discovering.

Perks that were making him have thoughts he shouldn't. Everyone knew when he had thoughts like that, he often did things he shouldn't. Or he contemplated them like he was contemplating taking her against the hallway wall. He was contemplating it; but, he wouldn't. They both deserved better for their first time. Not that Lisbon seemed to mind the masculine hands stripping her of the little she was wearing as she was busily unbuttoning his cobalt button down. She honestly didn't seem to care what he did as long as he did something. He just wasn't doing that.

"I'm sorry, Lisbon." Jane said as he released her. He'd gotten a little out of hand with the mauling of a certain dark haired Lady cop or she wouldn't be standing in nothing but her mussed hair and her undies. Not that Lisbon had shirked her fair share of mauling back; but, he'd started it. And he was still mostly fully clothed. "There's something dangerously titillating about a woman packing heat." Jane had removed the Glock from her waist band and set it aside long ago. Surprisingly, Lisbon must have taken her ankle holster off when they'd changed earlier to go to the store.

"Is there? I thought you didn't like guns?" In spite of killing Hardy and Carter, Jane had a pronounced aversion to her weapon of choice.

"I do when it's you doing the carrying." Jane admitted honestly.

"That's nice; but, I'd rather blame our temporary insanity on the full moon if you don't mind." Lisbon leaned back to look in his eyes.

There was something a little creepy about knowing Jane got turned on by a woman carrying a gun. Then again, maybe there wasn't. He'd never been the most stable cookie in the box and she'd always known it. The man was definitely bent; but, not in any way she couldn't handle. She'd been handling him in one way or another for years though admittedly never like this.

"I'd rather not." Jane said not liking that excuse as it left too much room for old wives tales and second thoughts in the light of day.

"Then how about the fact we both know there's nobody here but Lisbon and Jane. No Amber and Jack and no unnecessary fairy tales." Lisbon whispered against his neck.

"That makes more sense though I think I'd prefer you being Teresa right now." Jane said.

"I don't think I can call you Patrick and I'm sorry." Lisbon said knowing Jane understood full well why she felt this way. It was what Lorelei called him. She refused to do the same. Not now when the woman was still in their lives like a really bad penny they'd both rather forget but couldn't.

"I don't expect you to. I've been Jane since the day I stopped being Mr. Jane." Jane said knowing they were both recalling their initial introduction. Nothing about that impression had been favorable. They'd come a long way in the years since.

"Yes, I think you have." Lisbon said as she absently picked at his belt buckle. "And I think I'd like to pick up where we left off last night." Not that they weren't already. "Not as frenzied and out of touch… It needs to feel real."

Too many unsettling things had occurred over the last couple of days for her to feel entirely grounded in what was happening between them. Trauma and fear tended to blur the lines between comfort and affection…fantasy and reality. That was the one she was most concerned about. The only reassuring part was they'd been headed in this direction long before last night.

"It is real, Teresa." Jane reassured her.

"I know." Lisbon agreed.

"Smart girl. It took you long enough." Jane lightly rubbed her arms reassuringly.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon gazed into eyes every bit as vulnerable as they'd been the first day they'd met.

Vulnerable, yes, but no longer decimated. There was a big difference between the man she'd met that day and the one standing before her now. She'd been clueless what to do with Mr. Jane. Jane was different matter. She knew exactly what to do with him and she had every idea he was fully capable of returning the favor.

"Shush, Jane?" Jane quirked a brow at her.

"Yeah, Shush Jane. I've got better things to do with my time than stand around all but naked talking to you." Lisbon said as she began efficiently unbuckling his belt.

"I'd say you do." Jane agreed as he watched her every move not at all surprised she had him out of his jeans almost as fast as he'd gotten her out of hers. "And I'd also say you're vastly over dressed."

"That's easily remedied." Lisbon kicked the ivory lace panties matching the bra she'd lost a while ago across the room. "Better?"

"Yeah, better." Jane said as he swept her up in his arms.

Lisbon was never entirely sure exactly how she got from their living room to their bed with Jane doing unmentionable things to her body. She wasn't about to stop him to ask.

#

Regaining control of her breathing, Lisbon ran her hand through the sprinkling of curls on Jane's chest. She wasn't quite sure she was ready to look him in the eyes after what he'd just done to her. Of after what she'd just done to him. After what they'd done to each other…over and over and over again. She wasn't sure there was a part of her that wasn't more exposed to his view than she was comfortable revealing.

"Teresa." Jane held her a little tighter knowing the thoughts flooding her mind and knowing he felt the same. Whether the woman in his arms knew it, he was equally exposed and vulnerable to her every word and mood. They were both taking an equally huge risk in acting on their feelings.

"Don't say it. Not here. Not now. Not when we don't look or feel like ourselves." Lisbon placed her finger against his lips. "It's enough that you show me every day."

"When we're back home…" Jane said before Lisbon cut him off.

"When we're back home looking and feeling like ourselves, you can say anything you'd like and I'll gladly listen. I might even find the courage to say the words back." Lisbon softly said.

"You might as well. You show me every day. You have for a very long time." Far longer than she'd had any clue what was truly motivating her actions. Far longer than he'd been willing to let on he might share even the smallest part of those feelings.

"Yeah, I guess I do and I have." Lisbon agreed wondering if she'd been as transparent to the rest of her co-workers as she'd been to Jane.

She certainly hoped not. Falling for one of your underlings was the epitome of unprofessionalism and the very thing she'd promised herself she would never do. It didn't matter if the said team member didn't consider himself beneath her. In spite of what Jane thought, she was still the Boss.

"Lisbon, you're thinking entirely too much. I know we'd never be here like this if we were back in Sacramento. Not yet, though I believe I would have eventually gotten you to break." Jane teased lightly.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon said knowing he was probably right. She'd been secretly attracted to Jane for much too long.

"The only thing that really matters is we're together as we both want to be. The circumstances aren't important. If it makes you feel any better, you aren't being unprofessional or breaking any rules. You aren't a cop at the moment and I don't work for the CBI. We're just Lisbon and Jane." Jane gently brushed a wayward strand of hair from her cheek.

"I guess I'm not and you don't. I hadn't really thought about it like that." Why would she want to?

She wanted to be a cop again. She couldn't really imagine any other career though she'd always known Jane would cost her job. It was, and had always been, a price she was willing to pay almost from the start of their association. She didn't fully understand why even today.

"I didn't think you had." Jane watched her reach out to clasp the hand resting casually against her hip.

"You haven't put your ring back on since the day you swept me out of town." She gently rubbed his bare finger seemingly amazed it still remained unencumbered.

"No, Teresa, I haven't. I told you then that it was time and I haven't changed my mind." Jane looped his fingers loosely through hers gently rubbing her ring finger in return thinking there was something missing though it had never truly been there in the first place. It had been Ginger wearing another man's ring.

"Are you really okay with it?" Lisbon quietly asked.

"I'm fine. I wouldn't lie to you about something like that. It wouldn't do any good. You'd know the truth, Teresa. You read me much too well." He might twist the truth on a million other things; but never this. It wouldn't do him any good. "Besides, while Angela is forever in my heart, she'll never be here between us. I wouldn't do that to either of us."

"I know." Lisbon was a little surprised realizing her words were true. "Tell me about marrying Angela."

"What do you want to know? We were young. We were reckless. We wanted to escape the life so we left." Jane hugged her a little tighter against his side. "It wasn't some kind of fairy tale romance. We didn't have a lot of money; but, we were determined we were never crawling back and we didn't. Our families accepted our marriage and our choice to leave; but, they weren't happy about it. I won't lie. Those first few years were rough until I started building a reputation as a psychic. You don't want to know how we survived until then. You've already seen the man I was more than once. Suffice it to say you would have gladly arrested me any number of times." Jane lightly teased her.

"I'm sure I would have. Then you got your break." Lisbon said knowing that much of the story.

"Yes, I did. I snagged a really wealthy client who clung to my every word. All I needed was for a few things to come true and my future was set. That's exactly what happened. I became a minor celebrity locally and we were rolling in money overnight. It was at that point we decided to start a family and Charlotte was born.

What can I say? Life was good in Malibu. I had my fifteen minutes of fame, a beautiful wife and daughter, the perfect house, and more money than I needed. I had the American dream until I messed it up. The truly sad part is Angela wanted me to go straight and I wouldn't. If I had, they'd still be alive.

The upside is to story is if I had, I'd still have my family. The downside is if I'd done that, I wouldn't have you.

I don't honestly think I could willingly trade one for the other." It wasn't hard to admit the woman in his arms had every bit of the hold on his heart and soul as his wife and daughter had had. She'd earned that right over the years.

Kissing the corner of his lips, Lisbon snuggled closer against him and placed her head on Jane's shoulder. She'd talk if she knew what to say. Or if she could do it without blubbering and she wasn't about to cry. SAC's at the CBI did not cry. Even if they were on the lam without a job. Besides, Jane would get the message she wouldn't trade him either without her ever saying a word. He was much too good at reading her.

As for Jane, he held her a little tighter and knew he couldn't imagine a life without Lisbon any more than he'd ever been able to imagine his life without them. Jane was glad he didn't have to because he couldn't and he wouldn't. He'd been given a second chance he didn't deserve and he wasn't looking back. He was getting Lisbon out of this mess and they were moving forward. Red John had no idea how badly he'd miscalculated.

In trying to tear them apart, he'd only made them stronger.


	10. Chapter 10

Scooby, Scooby Doo, and any other guests I might have missed – thank you as always for the reviews. ~Calla

#

Lisbon opened her eyes only to find herself tightly intertwined with a heavy, masculine body that wasn't going to be easy to get free of without waking its deeply slumbering owner. Carefully disentangling her legs from Jane, she admitted her predicament was as much of her own making as his. She'd wanted to stay as close as possible to her other half and her other half hadn't minded at all. Rolling off the mattress, she walked into the living room to snatch Jane's shirt off the floor.

Slipping into the much too large garment, she hastily buttoned the shirt and brought the fabric up to her nose. Breathing deeply, Lisbon decided she liked being comfortably blanketed in the smell of Jane. Glancing about her, she hastily gathered all the items strewn about her feet they'd never bothered retrieving last night. Dropping the garments quietly in their small bedroom hamper she padded back into the kitchen. Preheating the oven, she reached into the refrigerator to remove a box of pre-made cinnamon rolls and the pack of pre-cooked sausage they kept around for those mornings they were short on time. By passing the carton of eggs Lisbon decided, as this was a lazy day, pastries and sausage were enough to make their meal.

Pulling the defrosted pastries apart, Lisbon placed them on the shallow baking dish and stuck them in the oven. They'd be ready in about 20 minutes give or take. In the interim, she was making a pot of strong brew. Rooting through her supply of fresh coffee beans, she decided a nice dark French Roast would work fine this morning. Dropping a healthy measure of beans in her grinder, Lisbon whirred the blade for a few seconds before dumping the grounds into the filter and filling the water bin. Pushing the button on the coffee maker, she meandered across the room to kneel on the couch staring out the window searching for what she didn't see. Even if no one was out there now, she wasn't under any illusions it would stay that way.

The sound of the oven timer breaking her reverie, Lisbon pushed off the couch and walked back into the kitchen. Grabbing her mitt, she opened the door and pulled the pan from the shelf. Wrapping the sausage links in paper towels and placing them on a plate, Lisbon stuck them in the microwave, closed the door, and hit a few buttons. Satisfied the cinnamon rolls had cooled enough icing, she carefully snipped the corner of the first plastic pouch and drizzled the sugary streams over the pastry with a heavy hand. She liked her pastries sweet so shoot her.

"You aren't supposed to be up." Jane wrapped his arms around Lisbon's waist as he came up behind her knowing she'd been so intent on her task she hadn't heard him coming.

He was mildly disappointed to find her out and about. The last time he'd seen his woman, she'd been happily ensconced in his arms snuffling in her sleep. She'd also been quite breathtaking framed in the iridescent moonbeams bleeding through the window shades on either side of their bed. He'd thought about getting up then; but, he'd fallen back asleep instead. It was telling that he'd slept more the past few weeks they'd been on the lam than he'd slept in the whole decade preceding them.

"I'm fixing breakfast." Lisbon answered unnecessarily as she slathered another layer of glaze across the pastries.

"You call that breakfast?" Jane nuzzled her neck enjoying the aroma of warm cinnamon and sugar.

It reminded him of the spicy scent of Lisbon he'd been missing since the day this debacle began. She'd had to forego her signature fragrance in the name of anonymity. And while the citrusy floral body wash and perfume was pleasant, it was more Amber than Teresa in Jane's mind and he would forever associate it as such. As his wife had truly smelled of coal tar soap and lavender, both in keeping with her carney past and her genteel beauty; Lisbon smelled of cinnamon and spice, reminiscent of her feistier personality. It was the one thing he always noted when she was letting him have it. There was something about getting her dander up that made Lisbon smell spicy good.

"Yeah, I do. If you want real food, you're going to have to fix it. I put these in the oven and opened that pack of microwavable links. That's as good as it gets this morning." Lisbon said as she squeezed the last blob of icing on a still warm pastry glad they'd bought that box of frozen cinnamon rolls.

"This is fine. Sweet and savory, what's not to like?" Somehow she didn't think Jane was talking about sugary cinnamon rolls and Cajun sausage links as he had a dangerously wolfish leer on his face.

"Down boy." Lisbon commanded. If Jane thought he was getting her interested in anything but stuffing her face any time soon, he had another think coming. She wouldn't have crawled out of bed and left a naked Jane in the first place if she wasn't ravenously hungry.

"You look beautiful." Jane reached around her to pour two cups of coffee.

And she did. Look beautiful. Rumbled, bed headed Lisbon wearing his discarded shirt looked good enough to eat. Much better than Lorelei had and Red John's girl had been quite attractive as much as he hated to admit it. Though he wouldn't mention it, while he did love eggs, he was glad Lisbon hadn't fixed their usual staple this morning. It wasn't an association he wanted in his head. His carnal knowledge of Lorelei had been a necessary part of the con. His union with Lisbon was something entirely different and the two should never mix.

"You're not so bad yourself. I've always had a soft spot for rumpled Jane especially when it's me doing the rumpling." Lisbon carried their plates to the table while Jane added sugar and cream to their coffee.

She wasn't all that surprised when he set their cups on the table and slid down on the seat beside her instead of taking his place across from her. Jane had a bad habit of invading her personal space. He always had and, truthfully, she'd never really minded which set the man apart from everyone else from the beginning. Taking a sip of coffee, Lisbon allowed her mind to wander over last night and into the wee hours of the morning deliberately ignoring the heat unfurling at her thoughts.

"Lisbon, you're being Lisbon, and doing exactly what we both expected you to do. You're thinking too much. None of this was about Amber and Jack." Jane brushed the hair from her neck and placed a sweet kiss on the curve of her shoulder. "You know that. You said as much from the start."

"I know what I said; but, how can you be sure?" Lisbon asked hoping he'd reached the same conclusions she had.

"Because in here is the only place we're Lisbon and Jane." Jane reassured her. "We check Amber and Jack at the door every night."

"Yeah, we do." Lisbon couldn't deny his words. "This changes everything."

"It doesn't change anything except we're finally together." Jane said.

"Is that what we are?" It wasn't really a question as they both already knew the answer.

"Yeah, Lisbon, that's what we are. The only thing that's really changed is now when Amber kisses Jack it's really Lisbon kissing Jane." Jane pointed out.

"Amber doesn't kiss Jack. He kisses her." Lisbon corrected.

"Are you sure about that? I seem to remember Amber giving Jack a pretty big kiss around that pool table." One causing jealously raised eyebrows among his companions.

"We'd just won the game." Lisbon defended her actions.

"Yeah, but that was Lisbon kissing Jane before it was over. Don't try to deny it, Teresa, I saw it in your eyes." Jane teased.

"I guess you did." Forget Amber and Jack. She'd certainly enjoyed kissing Jane. He was quite the kisser even in far too public places.

"I know I did. And, just so you hear the words; that was Jane kissing Lisbon back." He'd enjoyed that kiss as much as she had.

"I think it was." Lisbon crammed a bit of cinnamon roll in her mouth.

"I know it was." Jane took a sip of coffee and decided the uncivilized brew was growing on him.

"We're okay." Lisbon took a hearty bite of sausage and decided while she preferred cooking the fresh links herself, for a quick fix, this wasn't half bad.

"I'd say better than okay." Exactly as they would remain as long as they stayed at least one step ahead of a serial killer.

"What's on the agenda today?" Lisbon asked not sure if there was any change in the plans they'd previously discussed.

"I'd say we'll have most of the day and into tomorrow to spend together after I take a look around the site. I've already talked to the organizers and everything seems in place on their end." Lisbon had heard him talking on the phone before he'd emerged from their bedroom. He'd genuinely laughed a few times signaling to her that everything was as it was supposed to be. Or she hoped it was.

"Can I go with you?" Lisbon asked as she peeled off a piece of pastry and idly plopped it in her mouth closing her eyes as she savored the cinnamon sweetness.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Jane said taking a sip of coffee.

"You'll show me where the funnel cake stand is going?" Lisbon asked as she offered her last icing drenched bite to Jane not at all surprised when he licked her fingers inappropriately reminding her activities better left behind closed doors.

"Where the cotton candy and corn dog stands are going as well if you'd like. Oh, and that ridiculous twirling ride you like so well." Jane indulged her as he made them both another cup of coffee.

"Sounds like fun to me." Lisbon said.

She was looking forward to testing the rides for Johan here as she'd done in Oklahoma City. Lisbon couldn't help if she liked the rides even more than the funnel cakes and that was saying a lot. Jane's boss sent for her when it was time to take his handiwork for a spin and she gladly complied knowing the "tests" were just a precaution. She honestly got a kick out of getting to let loose and scream like a fool for a change. It was so out of keeping for SA Lisbon of the Serious Crimes Unit at the CBI and she loved it.

As for the other, she wasn't remotely concerned with playing guinea pig. Johan and his men were very careful in the maintenance and construction of their equipment. He took great personal pride in having had no accidents in his thirty year career. Not any involving any of his rides and the fair's patrons anyway. The kind caused by human error and stupidity in the constructing and maintaining were impossible to avoid entirely. From what she understood, he'd had a few of those which were expected though not very many.

"Yeah, me, too." He might even join her in a ride or two.

It would give him an excuse to put his arm around his girl in front of everyone. It never hurt to remind the guys who the cute little brunette, eh, blonde, by his side belonged to. Jane could already feel the headache pounding through his head if Lisbon ever got wind of his thoughts. She'd gladly knock the snot out of him for thinking she belonged to anyone.

"Earth to Jane. Whatever you were thinking, you might need to stop. From the look on your face I get the feeling I wouldn't like it at all." Lisbon didn't like the smirk on his face one little bit.

It never boded well for her sanity and given the recent changes in their relationship she wasn't having that much difficulty discerning the direction of his thoughts. Patrick Jane was enough of a manly man that he was already considering the best possible way to mark his territory and stake his claim. It didn't really matter that his friends and co-workers already believed they were together. Now that they actually were, everything was suddenly different. He'd better not even think about giving her a love bite. They'd find his dead body in the nearest landfill if he did. She so wasn't having any of that macho crap.

"Don't even think it, Mister." Lisbon said at the answering gleam in his eyes.

"I'm innocent, Lisbon. I give you my word." Jane said as he topped their cups with the last of the hot coffee.

"You haven't been innocent since the day you were born." Lisbon took a sip of her coffee.

"You wound me, Lisbon." Jane said as he took a sip of Lisbon's coffee.

Yes, just as food always tasted better off of someone else's plate, coffee tasted better from someone else's cup especially when that someone was Lisbon. Still, he'd rather have tea.

"Why? We both know you were already plotting to take over the world about the time your eyes first opened and stay out of my coffee." Lisbon snatched her cup out of his hands and quickly drained it. Jane could be so aggravating and he had absolutely no respect for personal space or belongings.

"Maybe I was. Right now, I'm more interested in taking over your world." Jane admitted honestly.

"I think you did that a long time ago." It sure seemed that way.

"Maybe I did. You pretty much took over mine." Jane said.

Not that he'd ever really shown it, but Teresa Lisbon had been a very important person in his twisted excuse of a reality for a very long time. She'd been about the only person. She'd become the constant that never truly went away. The one faint glimmer of light and hope in the desolate darkness he'd called his existence. He would be forever grateful she'd taken him under her wing.

"Then the feeling is mutual." Lisbon tried to make light of a moment suddenly becoming much too heavy.

"I would say it is." Jane agreed torn between wanting to kiss her and wanting to look away from the intensity in those lovely green eyes.

Somehow the kiss held enough appeal that Jane was slightly surprised when Lisbon avoided his lips.

"We can't start that now or we won't stop. Mr. Carmondy will be here in less than an hour." Lisbon reminded him as she glanced at the clock.

"You have a point there." Jane rose to his feet and carried their plates to the sink. "We should take our showers and get ready though there are infinitely more pleasant things I'd rather be doing instead."

"So would I; but, we have an appointment to keep and the guys are counting on us." Lisbon reminded him.

"Yes, I suppose they are." Jane set their empty cups on the counter. They could wash the dishes later. It wasn't like there was a lot of them.

"You want to shower first or do you want me?" Lisbon ask deciding rumbled Jane was very attractive wearing nothing but his bedhead and pajama bottoms.

"We could always take a shower together." Jane suggested hopefully. He still wanted that kiss. And a bit more if he could get it.

"Right. Have you paid attention to the size of that shower?" Lisbon snorted at the thought she'd have to be a pretzel to make even the idea work. Or Jane did. And, no, she wasn't going there.

"I think if you pulled your infamous monkey climbing a tree impression, we could probably pull it off." Jane teased provocatively in her ear knowing full well that Lisbon's mind was already rapidly tying itself in knots trying to figure out the ins and out of having hot monkey sex in that miniscule excuse for a shower. While perfectly adequate for one, it was far less so for two. Add in a little action and it was darn near impossible.

"You know, the more I think about it…." Actually, the more she found her eyes glazing over at the thought of a naked Jane... "The more I think the idea has possibilities." Lisbon said as she pulled Jane's shirt over her head without unbuttoning it and took her lover by the hand.

#

Lisbon watched Jane escort the four men back to their car and see them off before walking back in her direction. The appropriate paperwork had been signed and funds had changed hands months ago so today was more of a good will formality than anything else. Jack had taken care of everything charming the city fathers as she'd known he would while Amber was little more than eye candy along for the ride. It was a necessary role and one she'd been happy to play. All in all, they'd spent a pleasant hour and a half considering it was all business.

Stuffing her hands in her pockets, Lisbon waited for Jane to return to her side.

"Well, that didn't take as long as expected. It looks like we'll have more time alone than I anticipated." Jane stuffed his own hands in his pocket seconding Lisbon's opinion that while it wasn't exactly coat weather, it was still a little nippy outside.

"Not until you show me where everything is going like you promised." Lisbon demanded not quite ready for all that alone time yet. She was still getting accustomed to the changes happening in the dark of night now that they were in the light of day, shower rendezvous aside.

"I'd enjoy doing that. My father and I were involved with all of this a long time ago. I grew up helping put the fair together. I'd actually forgotten it could be fun…or maybe it's the company I'm keeping now." Jane leaned over to kiss her forehead letting Lisbon know that he knew the score and he was fine with it.

The woman never leaped blindly in where angels feared to tread. Not unless he was involved. And he was definitely involved in all of this. And she was definitely breaking her number one rule as she had so many times before. The least he could do was give her space for a while.

"Tell me about your father." Lisbon asked the one question she'd never dared ask before as she looped her hand through his.

"There isn't much to tell. He wasn't a nice man. There was very little he wouldn't do for a buck and I got away from him as soon as I could. The ties were completely severed when Angela and I ran away." Jane answered honestly as he led her across the field.

"I'm sorry." Lisbon said almost wishing she'd never asked and knowing Jane wouldn't have answered if he really cared. "He wasn't so different from my own father…at least the part about not being a nice man."

"Lisbon, your father didn't start out that way. He loved his wife and children. He was a decent man who lost his way after your mother was taken so tragically away. My father was something entirely different. As for my mother, I don't really remember her." Jane admitted knowing Lisbon wouldn't pursue the question any further. Perhaps one day he'd share the good memories with her along with the bad. But it wouldn't be today.

"So this is where the food booths are going?" Lisbon quickly changed the subject as she stepped off a goodly area under Jane's watchful eye committing the location to memory. She fully intended getting that funnel cake and any other greasy carnival food she craved since they'd missed out on that opportunity the first time around. "And Mattie's going to be playing Gypsy Queen over there?" She pointed in the opposite direction.

Whack job aside, the nutty old broad had a mystical, magical load of manure she sold to gullible marks with consummate ease. Lisbon had seen her in action and she was a sight to behold. Apparently she'd always done quite well at as she had one of the nicest RV's on the circuit. It also didn't hurt the biddy looked every bit Romani from her dark coloring to her headscarf and flowing robes. From what Jane said, she also possessed a bit of well diluted gypsy blood on both sides. Campiness aside, Mattie's family came from Lubbock by way Hoboken in more recent times. However, from what the old woman said, they'd originally come from Hungary by way of Ellis Island around the turn of the century. Who honestly knew if any of that was true? Who really cared? All that truly mattered was her gimmick brought in the dough.

Personally, Lisbon found her slightly scary and she didn't mean the nutty part. It was the part that had the old woman meandering about carrying on unintelligible conversations in foreign tongues. It was more than a little off-putting to round a corner to find the woman carrying on a strange conversation with her imaginary friends. While she was nice to Matilda, Lisbon was glad she spent most of her time in her trailer doing goodness knows what. Probably throwing tarot cards and playing with her crystal ball. Lisbon wasn't all that much into spells and mystical, magical things. She tended not to believe in them.

"Actually, Matty and the sideshows will be over here." Jane gestured to the area he'd moved into. "The petting zoo will be more in the area where she was." He corrected her.

"Okay, now I'm seeing it." And she was.

Punkin and friends were going to snag the unwary as they brought the kids through the gates while their mother's gravitated toward Mattie selling her readings, charms, and snake oil. From there they'd pass booth after booth of unhealthy snacks like corn dogs, fried chocolate bars and nachos along with the ever present sodas and homemade lemonade. They they'd find the games and rides interspersed through the rest of the grounds. Lisbon wasn't sure she could handle more than the tip of the iceberg. Thank goodness the guys knew what they were doing and Jane had an eidetic memory. She'd be overwhelmed by the first grid.

"Come on, Lisbon, it'll make more sense if we walk it." Jane said as he tucked Lisbon neatly beneath against his chest. "The Ferris wheel is over there as you know. The shooting gallery will go over there. You just stepped smack in the middle of your funnel cake stand and the smelly farmers' exhibits are back over there." Jane gestured off in the distance aware that his companion's demeanor was changing the farther away from their trailer they got.

He knew the more open the space around them was the more vulnerable to attack they became. Lisbon knew that as well and she was getting more nervous by the moment. Jane wasn't at all surprised she couldn't stop herself from looking over his shoulder searching the parameter. Her spidey senses weren't going nuts as they had when she'd sensed Wilkenson over the horizon; but, as every good cop knew, that didn't necessarily mean anything. Not since she'd been out of the game as long as she had. With every passing week, she was growing less edgy and more complacently willing to place her trust and confidence in Jane to keep her safe.

While every cop had to have unfailing trust in their partner, they were equally responsible for their own safety. Lisbon didn't feel that dynamic was really in place any more. She was totally out of her depths here while Jane had done some variation of just this situation many times before. Maybe not to this degree; but, he was obviously experienced in exit strategies. Getting caught by either the cops or his mark was the last thing a con wanted to do.

"Lisbon, there's no one out there. Not yet. He hasn't had time to find us." Jane reassured her.

"So you're saying we'll have another Wilkenson eventually?" Lisbon asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, Lisbon, I think we will. Get used to it. I don't think any of his tools have been told to do anything but gather intel. Wilkerson stepped out of line trying to run us off the road that night. I'm sure he paid dearly for his transgression. Red John doesn't take disobedience lightly." Jane reminded Lisbon. "As for us, Red John isn't going to allow us to be out of sight and out of mind. He doesn't operate like that. You know that."

"Yeah, I do. I guess we'll know we're being watched when he's ready to make his presence known. His M.O. hasn't changed all that much over the years." Lisbon wrapped her arm around Jane's waist sinking protectively against his side.

"I'd say so. Until them, I'd suggest we try to ignore him and enjoy our life." Jane kissed the top of her head.

"Sounds like a plan. Now tell me where the ring toss is going. I still want to win one of those gold-fish." Lisbon force a smile on her face knowing Jane was right.

Yes, something wicked this ways comes; but, making herself miserable worrying about it wasn't stopping it from appearing on her doorstep any time soon. But, her Glock just might make it go away when it did. She was certainly willing to give it a try.

#

Blocking off the ideal area for the petting zoo so construction could start tomorrow, Jane felt every second of Pete's eyes boring into his back. He and Sammy had pulled in a couple of hours ago and knocked on their door. They'd agreed to meet at 3 pm to discuss the general layout of the zoo as they usually did. Pete had spent the past fifteen minutes trying to figure out exactly how he wanted to word his query without much luck. Jane knew from experience the man would eventually gather the courage to speak his piece if he bided his time which wasn't all that hard to do. The soon the questions and commentary were out of the way, the sooner they could get down to the business at hand. Besides, he'd rather deal with Pete's more tentative nosiness than Sammy's direct zinging in for the kill.

"What changed, Jane?" Pete suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" While it was true he wanted to get this over with, such a desire didn't necessarily translate into making it easy for the other man.

"You aren't acting anymore." Pete said.

"No, we aren't. What gave us away?" They weren't acting any differently in public than they had before and Pete wasn't the most perceptive of people most of the time. That being said, Jane wasn't sure exactly what had tipped him off. And that was something he did want to know.

"You." Pete admitted.

"What do you mean me?" Jane bent over to insert a small blue flag in the ground before standing back up to look at the other man. "I haven't treated Lisbon any differently than I did before." There was no need for pretense since there was no one around but the two of them and Pete already knew Lisbon's true identity.

Jane cast his eyes in the direction of the silver travel trailer across the way. Sammy was in their trailer drinking coffee with Lisbon and snarfing the last of the cinnamon rolls while their men slaved away. Somehow that didn't seem fair. None of the other guys had arrived yet though Jane had little doubt they'd be rolling in any time now. And once they did all hell would break lose in their typically jovial way.

They'd all be sipping single malt whiskey, eating greasy pizza, and tossing poker chips in the ring soon after nightfall. If they were lucky, he and Lisbon would make a killing. If they weren't, they might take a hit. He didn't see that happening. Though the guys all cheated as badly as he did, his partner in crime seemed to have an uncanny ability to spot their tells. Her brothers and their obnoxious friends had obviously come in handy for something growing up. Lisbon had learned to play a mean hand of poker over the years.

"You've got that look in your eyes." Pete said.

"What look are you talking about?" Jane asked.

"That look." Pete said hoping Jane wouldn't make him say it.

"Meaning?" Jane smirked slightly as Pete refused to look at him.

"You look at her like you looked at Angela about the time you decided you were head over ass in love with her." Pete stated quietly.

"You think?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, I think." Pete agreed.

"I suppose you're right." Jane refused to elaborate as he stuck another flag in the ground.

"Don't mess with her, Patrick. That woman is good people and not just because she let Danny go." Pete didn't really care if he upset his old friend.

He was going to say what needed to be said. He'd go so far as hauling Jane behind the trailers if that ever became necessary. Not that he really thought that would happen. The man had been devoted to Angela and his daughter. Pete wasn't expecting anything different this time around. Patrick Jane might be one of the best cons he knew; but, he'd never been a bounder when it came to the women he loved.

"I'm not messing with Lisbon. In the first place, she wouldn't let me. That woman's got more trust issues than I have. In the second, there's a reason I look at her that way. " Jane stood back to survey his handiwork imagining exactly how the enclosure would look. "She won't even let me say the words because of this insanity; but, it doesn't change the fact that's how I feel." Jane admitted to himself that he agreed with her reasoning. However, that didn't mean he had to like it. He didn't like it all. Not when he'd really like to say those three little words he'd not been able to utter in over a decade.

"Yeah, well, it's how she feels back." Pete studied Jane's rough outline deciding it really needed to be just a little bit bigger. "You think maybe we could extend the end out about five feet on either side?"

"Yeah, I don't see why not. That'll still leave plenty of room for the booths to be set up over there." Jane studied the diagram in his head knowing very little had changed in the twenty years since he'd left the carnie lifestyle behind. More than just a strong back and a side show, he'd helped lay out the fair once upon a time. His near photographic memory had come in as handy back then as it did today.

"What happened? There's more to the story than you're telling. There has to be. You wouldn't have gotten this involved with any woman, least of all that one, with him still out there if something hadn't." Pete poked deeper knowing his words were true.

Jane wouldn't risk the life of another woman he loved by becoming intimately involved with her. Not even a tough little lady cop. Something must have happened to make him feel she was equally at risk whether they took the next step or not. Lisbon must have seconded his opinion. Neither of them were foolish people and they'd shown remarkable self-restraint given that everyone could see how crazy they were about each other.

"No, I wouldn't have. Let's go over there where Mattie's booth needs to go along with the rest of the sideshows." Jane let the way across the wide expanse of field.

"So what happened?" Pete asked again.

"When we left the pool hall that night an unmarked police car tried to run us off the road." Jane said. "I managed to regain control of the dually without any real damage getting done. Lisbon banged her shoulder; but, that's about all." That was enough for Jane to know if he could have caught the guy he'd have torn him limb from limb with his bare hands.

"Deliberate?" Pete asked.

"Yeah, deliberate." Jane agreed.

"But something happened before that." While the rest of the crew might not have paid any attention to their departure, Pete had and there had been something off about it. He'd read it in their body language.

"That same cop, or more likely someone he hoodwinked into doing his dirty work, left a present at our table for us. It was a napkin with a red smiley face." Jane said as he walked around the area deciding the best layout for Mattie and crew.

"He found you." Pete didn't bother pretending not to understand what Jane was saying.

"That, or more likely, he's probably always known. Red John does his research almost as well as I do and since he orchestrated this whole farce, I'm sure he's followed our every move." Jane continued marking the rough outline with red flags as he'd done with the blue.

"Are you in any real danger?" Pete asked more out of curiosity than anything else.

"I don't think so. Not as long as we don't do anything stupid which I don't intend to do." Jane answered honestly.

"What about the rest of us?" Pete asked the question Jane knew was coming.

"You're in even less danger as long as nobody does anything stupid." Jane answered honestly yet again. "On that note, I'd say the less people knowing about this, the better. The less room there is for careless slip ups. All Red John really cares about at the moment is keeping us out of action, slowing our investigation down, and letting us know who's in charge. He isn't interested in ending the game as hurting any of us would surely do. However, I can't guarantee that if you say a word about him. The safest thing for everyone is just to keep his name off your lips." Jane stuck the last red flag in the ground. "What do you think?"

"That should be enough room." Pete agreed. "And I think you're right about the rest of it, too. There's no reason to tell Sammy any of this. Not unless you start to feel differently."

"I agree. No one really needs to know anything at this point." Jane said.

"So what happened?" Pete asked.

"I'm not giving you details of my sex life, Pete. This isn't the boys' locker room and Lisbon isn't that kind of girl." Jane shot him a dirty look. "Everything changed last night. I'll tell you that much but you can't go looking at Lisbon all weird or she'll kick my ass."

"So this one's really a keeper?" Pete didn't see any reason to ask as he already knew the answer.

"Yeah, I've already told you, this one's a keeper." Jane agreed.

"That works for me." Pete had grown to like that itty bitty lady cop over the past few weeks. He really had.

He'd grown to like her a lot and so had everyone else. In fact, he and the rest of the carneys would gladly welcome her into the fold for real one day. He was looking forward to it. They all were. Everyone knew where this was heading even if Lisbon didn't.

"What's the part of the story you still haven't told me?" Pete asked as Jane continued sticking little flags in the ground.

"Our stalker was a cop at the CBI. He transferred to Nevada about five years back and to Oklahoma sometime since. Lisbon recognized him." Jane said.

"That's not good." Pete observed.

"No, it's not. But, there's not a lot we can do about it at the moment. As I've said, I don't think we have too much to worry about. Red John isn't ready to end the game so I think he'll keep his distance. He's happy to have me away from Lorelei and whatever she could tell me and Lisbon out of action. Her team is pretty lost without her. So, I'd say RJ has no reason to act any time soon. At the moment, he's clearly winning the game and I'm done with all of this. What do you say we go join our girls and get ready for that poker game? I think I saw Jake and Smokey Joe pull in a while back." Jane said as he wiped his hands on his jeans.

"Sounds like a plan." Pete agreed as he fell in line behind Jane imagining Lisbon and Sammy getting into all kinds of trouble.

If he knew his woman, she'd already broken out that good bottle of tequila and a couple of shot glasses. Hopefully she'd brought a couple of extras. His Sammy wasn't above using liquor to loosen her opponent's tongue and there were a lot of things she wanted to know. Unfortunately, in addition to being able to hold her liquor well, Lisbon seemed to be onto Sammy's game. Somehow, Pete suspected, he'd gotten more out of Jane than his other half would ever get out of Lisbon. Win some and lose some. He had a feeling Sammy wasn't winning this one.

#


	11. Chapter 11

Lisbon surveyed the past hour and half's handiwork with satisfaction. Jane had made whopper containers of potato salad and cole slaw while she'd baked the cheddar stuffed jalapenos poppers. Though store bought, the peppers were still good. Especially when accompanied by her homemade Ranch dressing. Dressing made from an old lover's recipe, but Jane didn't have to know that. That fact didn't make it any less good. However, the various party sandwiches, spicy chicken bites, and antipasto platter she'd made with her two competent hands. As odd as it sounded, she'd enjoyed every second of it.

While Lisbon might be more accustomed to holding a gun in her hands, she knew her way around a kitchen fairly well. Jane knew his way even better which was why they took turns cooking most of the time. As for tonight, they'd agreed to supply the Poker Party finger foods since they'd won the last game. She'd not been looking forward to their task being clueless as to what to make. Using common sense, she and Jane had quickly decided on mostly bite sized foods that could be easily eaten with a fork. They'd also decided on the sandwiches which wouldn't be messy to eat. Who wanted to spend the evening trying to keep greasy, nasty playing cards from slipping out of their hands?

Packing yet another full lidded aluminum baking pan in the bag, Lisbon waited for Jane to return from whatever he was doing outside. They'd made the food, Stinky could toss the containers in the trash or not. Probably not as Lisbon had learned enough about the man to know he was far more likely to wash those pans and store them under the cabinet than throw them away. They'd probably see the same silver tins holding sandwiches and chips at a future game. Lisbon couldn't help laughing at all the subtle quirks setting Jane's friends apart from the norm.

No one could say the carneys around her weren't in a class of their own. A very weird class that worked very well from what she could see. And it was one she felt honored to be a part of. That most of them shared Danny's view you were either with the show or a mark didn't bother her as much as it probably should have. The way Lisbon saw it, when you ventured on their turf and played their games you were asking to lose a few bucks. Vice versa was another matter. Then again, she wasn't a cop at the moment so there wasn't a whole lot she could do about it anyway.

While she was waiting for Jane to return, she was going to touch up her make up one last time and make sure Amber was presentable. It was the first time she and Jane were spending any extended time with the guys since their relationship had changed. In spite of Amber and Jack's carrying on for show, the old-timers knew the real deal. She wondered if any of them would be able to spot the change and hoped against hope they couldn't. She wouldn't know what to do if Smokey Joe or Wally publically outed them to everyone around the table. She wouldn't put it past either of those clowns to do just that. Fortunately Sammy and Pete already knew so she wasn't sweating them.

Gazing at her reflection, Lisbon wished for the thousandth time she had her old hair back. She didn't like this whole blonde thing. She didn't like Jane's darker mahogany hair. She didn't like wearing more makeup or flashier clothes. She didn't like Jane in blue jeans and button downs or the occasional tee. It wasn't that he wasn't a hottie. He was.

It was that it wasn't them.

She was supposed to be an understated brunette with striking green eyes wearing understated clothes packing more head than a petite woman should carry. Jane was supposed to be an arrogant blonde wearing three piece suits suffering occasionally from severe bouts of ennui and a monumental case of pain-in-the-buttitis. That was just the way it was and the way it had always been.

Lisbon ignored the voice in her head reminding her just because that was how it had always been didn't mean that was how it was now. In fact, her life now was far from how it had always been. All she had to do was look in the mirror to know that was true.

The woman staring back at her through familiar emerald eyes was very blonde, very bold, and very brazen. From the eye popping hint of cleavage peaking out of her clingy top (thanks to that ridiculous push up bra she'd never wear at work) to the heavily decorated jeans clinging to the rounded curve of her shapely rear to her attractively made up face. She looked exactly like what she was: a woman who meant business and that business was offering enough of a distraction to clean her fellow Texas Hold'em players out. While using such a trick was beneath Teresa Lisbon, it was a very Amber thing to do. Especially an Amber encouraged by Jack.

Shaking her head, Lisbon was glad they checked those two at the door. Those characters were a handful at the best of times. And one, if she was completely honest, she was beginning to enjoy playing. She'd never have believed such an uninhibited creature lurked deep inside her if desperation hadn't forced Amber to the surface out of sheer necessity.

"We need to leave or we're going to be late. You know how the guys hate to be kept waiting." Coming up behind her, Jane placed both hands on her shoulders. "You look good enough to eat."

"Hopefully, I look good enough to distract Stinky and Smokey Joe enough they're off their cheating game. If we knock those two out, the rest will be a piece of cake." Lisbon said as she turned in his arms knowing she'd yet to apply her lip liner and gloss for a reason.

"Spoken like a true conwoman. I didn't think you had it in you." Dropping a light kiss on her lips, Jane fully expected the growl he received before deciding to give Lisbon what she truly wanted.

Well, maybe not what she truly wanted, but enough of a kiss to hold her over until the evening was over. He needed her concentrating on the game. Not fantasizing about all the delicious things they'd be doing later. One of them needed to attend to the task at hand as he was sure it wasn't going to be him. Not given the way she looked tonight. Amber was going above and beyond the call of duty in providing a little distraction. Her machinations might already be working a little too well on the one person they shouldn't be affecting at all.

"That's more like it." Lisbon's tongue whispered across his bottom lip in one final promise as she stepped back. "Give me a minute and we can go." Turning back to the mirror, she hastily lined her lips and slicked a glossy cayenne lipstick across her mouth.

Watching her every move, Jane waited for her in the hall. Turning off the light and closing the bathroom door behind her, Lisbon followed him into the kitchen where the packed bags were waiting. Since they'd be carrying two bags each, there wouldn't be any cuddling or hand holding as there usually was.

"Let's go clean house." Lisbon said as she grabbed her bags and led the way out the door confident Jane was following her.

"Let's go clean house." Jane agreed as they made short work of crossing the distance from their trailer to the rest of camp. "Hey, guys, open the door."

Walking through the open door, Lisbon set her bags on the floor and began unloading her stash on the small kitchen counter. Jane did the same. Quarters were tight, but they'd make it work as they always did. Stinky didn't have the permanent dining booth as they did in his travel trailer so he had more room to set up the large folding table and folding chairs in his living area. All in all, it was a pretty comfortable set up. Finishing the last of her task, Lisbon turned to face the guys already seated around the poker table.

"Soups on." She quipped as she made her way to her seat well aware all eyes were on her and Jane.

As much as she'd hoped otherwise, it was readily apparent the guys had taken in every faint touch, nuzzle, and imaginary kiss between them as they'd laid out their offerings…exactly as Jane intended. Forget his overt caveman marking of his territory at the first poker game. The nuances between them tonight conveyed something entirely different. To those who'd known him before as they all had, it was shades of Angela…but more. As Jane was more than he'd been due to the influences of the woman sitting among them. Catching his attention, Lisbon mouthed a silent, "Thanks, Buddy." followed by an equally silent, "Bite me." in response to his equally silent, smart butted, "You're very welcome." comment.

"If you guys are ready to begin, Jakie can deal." Stinky shot them a grouchy look for delaying the proceedings with personal matters.

"Yeah, Stinks, we're done." Jane took a sip of the whiskey already waiting at his place.

Poker wasn't poker without starting the game with that solitary finger of the aged single malt Stinky kept locked away for special occasions. Their games were about as special as it got. They'd switch to coffee, tea, and soda as soon as their lone drinks were gone. A poker table full of drunks wasn't any fun; but, tradition was tradition after all and that's how all their games began.

Taking a sip of whiskey as she glanced around the table, Lisbon wasn't all that surprised to see almost every eye staring back. Sammy was seated by Pete offering moral support as Lisbon was only the second woman they'd ever invited to join the game. Though welcome to watch, Sammy wasn't allowed to play. The only other woman they'd deemed worthy of joining the Old Boy's Club had been a hard drinking, cigar smoking, blue streak cussing ruby red haired gal named Jimmie Blu who'd joined them for a several weeks before she'd taken up with the local Sheriff of a podunk South Dakota town and left the circuit.

The last anyone heard of Jimmie she'd married her Sheriff and settled down with her husband, two kids, a pot bellied pig, and three hunting dogs. Not that any of the carneys could blame old Steve. That Jimmie had been a handsome woman who could shoot as well as any man. Maybe that was why they liked the little woman across from them. She might not drink all that much from what they'd seen, she certainly didn't smoke, and while they were sure she cussed, she wasn't a Jimmie Blu. But, from what Jane had said, she didn't mess around when it came to the firepower and she wasn't afraid to tackle a bad guy twice her size. Added to that, she could handle Patrick Jane. They'd say those were pretty high recommendations in their circle. She was clearly a bad-assed lady cop.

"Boys, are we going to sit around staring at each other or are we going to play." Lisbon broke the oppressive silence before watching Wally toss his first card on the table.

It was time to stop lollygagging and get down to business.

Momma needed a new pair of jeans.

#

"Well, we did it again." Lisbon laughed evilly thinking that while it hadn't been as easy as the first time around, they'd prevailed in the end.

"Did you honestly doubt we would? For such a lousy liar, you play a wicked hand." Jane laughed at Stinky's face as they'd cashed in their chips amidst threats of another game looming over their heads.

"I guess I do. You're not so bad yourself." Lisbon reached out to grab his hand as they walked across the expanse separating their travel trailer from the rest.

"They expect underhanded tricks from me just as I do from them. But, you're a straight shooter and you shouldn't be able to win." Jane complimented her.

"Yeah?" Lisbon slanted him a sideways look smirking at the backhanded compliment. "Says who?"

"Me and every other man seated around that table. Why do you think they keep inviting you back? They think it's a fluke. It has to fail as beginners luck doesn't last. I know differently." Jane admitted.

"You do, huh?" Lisbon matched her stride to his.

"I know it isn't beginners luck. What's your secret?" As if he didn't already know.

"Stinky deals from the bottom of the deck. Wally might be nuttier than a squirrel hiding nuts but he does some funky slight of hand that's hard to explain. Jake spent half the night staring down my shirt, but other than that, he's a master at counting cards just like you. You know Smokey Joe deals from the middle of the deck and he marks certain cards. They all have cheats they've mastered and they all have tells. What more do I need to say?

Oh, nothing, except you're the hardest to beat as you have an eclectic mix of tricks from slight of hand to counting cards. I'm glad we're working together instead of against each other." Lisbon turned to wrap her arms around his neck. "I hate being on the losing team." That was why she had a room full of field and track trophies, ribbons, and medals overflowing her spare bedroom.

"Is that what we're doing? Working together?" Jane asked as he answered her wordless invitation dropping a kiss on her pouty lips.

"Among other things I enjoy every much." Lisbon stood on her toes to press her lips against his again. That first kiss had left much to be desired.

"Is that so?" Jane asked resting his forehead against hers a few minutes later.

Lisbon had definitely let him know exactly the direction in which her thoughts lay by that ravishing kiss sucking the very air from his lungs. If that wasn't enough to convey the message, the hand brazenly cupping a very personal part of his anatomy did. Gazing into deceptively wide emerald eyes, Jane smirked at her forwardness. When Lisbon decided to make a play, she certainly wasn't shy about it. She went for broke in no uncertain terms and he didn't mind at all…as long as she saved the unrepentant hussy act for him from now on. He wasn't one to share. Never had and never would.

"Yep, that's so." Lisbon said as she took his hand reassuming the lead she'd never surrendered in the first place once again.

"I guess there's just something about you quiet Catholic girls." Jane teased.

"Maybe some of us quiet Catholic girls who've been celibate much too long. I'd say we're smart enough to know when we've found a good thing." Lisbon stopped on the first step and turned around to look over Jane's shoulder. "I think the boys have their noses pressed against Smokey Joe's windows watching us. What do you say to giving them something to talk about?"

"I didn't think you did things like that." Jane brushed the hair from her cheek.

"But Amber does." Lisbon said with a twinkle in her eyes. "Besides, they shouldn't be spying on us trying to see what they shouldn't see. If eavesdroppers never hear anything nice about themselves what does that say about a bunch of old pervs?"

"That they should get to see exactly what they're hoping because they _are_ a bunch of old pervs?" Jane asked not at all surprised when Lisbon leaned into him.

"I wouldn't go that far. But that doesn't mean we can't tease them for being a bunch of nosey old lechers." Lisbon giggled as her only answer was Jane's lips pressing against hers as he scooped her up in his arms and stepped inside.

#

Dropping an apologetic kiss on Jane's cheek for interrupting their post-coital snuggles, Lisbon slipped out of bed and walked into the kitchen aware masculine eyes were glued to her naked backside. Grabbing his discarded t-shirt from where she'd dropped it on the dinette bench she pulled the garment over her head. While Jane certainly wouldn't mind her parading around naked, they didn't need any distractions from the necessary conversation they were about to have. The one he knew nothing about. The one she would force if she had to. Reaching into the pantry to grab a bag of chips, she then reached into the refrigerator for a bottle of soda which she divided between two glasses and a couple of leftover party sandwiches. Walking back into the bedroom she offered Jane the plate, chips, and his glass.

"What's all of this?" He questioned clearly divining there was more than a snack break going on.

"We need to talk." Lisbon said as she meandered back into the kitchen for napkins and the paper she'd left abandoned on the counter top when he'd carried her inside a couple of hours ago.

"About what?" Jane asked around the crunch of a crispy nacho flavored triangle. As far as he knew, everything was fine.

"About this." Lisbon offered him the paper as she slid under the covers reaching for a chip of her own.

"I suppose you want me to read this?" Jane took in the headline on the Topeka based newspaper and decided maybe he needed to read the article…even if he didn't want to.

"I think you should." Lisbon agreed taking a sip of clear soda lamenting the fact it was caffeine free.

As much as she could use a caffeine jolt, neither of them needed to be up the rest of the night. She knew they'd more than likely have a few things to do tomorrow. Something unexpected was always coming up. That was part of the fun of the carney lifestyle. Besides, she knew she would have a couple of hours of activity whether Jane did or not. Nothing all that early; but, she'd probably be needed by about mid-day. Daisy would need her walk and Punkin her cuddles if nothing else. More than likely she'd end up giving her furry munchkins their sweet smelling baths before the day was over.

"I swiped that at Smokey Joe's. Actually, he let me have it." Lisbon said as she watched Jane skimming the first page article she'd stuffed in her rear jean's pocket.

She silently cursed the moment she'd noticed the abandoned newspaper in passing. What was she doing paying attention to anything but the poker game anyway? Such distractions could have cost them everything. It hadn't, but it could have.

"Interesting." Jane crammed another chip in his mouth followed by a sip of the bubbly concoction in his glass.

"Well, do you think he killed him?" Lisbon asked the question weighing most heavily on her mind as she absently nibbled on her ham and turkey sandwich.

"What do you think?" Jane continued reading the article.

"Not a direct kill. More shades of Todd Johnson I think." Lisbon continued knowing she could very well be wrong. She wasn't all that great at reading Red John. "No bloody smiley face."

"I'd say you're right. It's clear that Wilkerson wasn't the only tool Red John had in the area." Jane said as he finished the article.

"Probably not considering law enforcement officers transfer all the time." Lisbon didn't like the idea there was more than one dirty cop in the same precinct.

"Add the local FBI to the mix as well. Red John has a fertile pool from which to pick and choose." Jane reminded her. "Teresa, there's really no way to know who got to Wilkerson or who actually did the deed beyond it not being the Master himself. There would have been the familiar red smiley face if he had." Jane confirmed her suspicions.

"But why? It's not like we could do anything to him. We're all but powerless at the moment." Red John had to know they wouldn't do anything to risk blowing their cover. They'd come much too far to end up in jail at this point in the game.

"Why do you think?" Lisbon needed to learn to think like their crazed serial killer. She'd certainly had long enough to learn: over a full decade and counting.

To be honest, even after the whole Rafferty incident, the woman by his side was still much too good to willingly venture that far into the dark side. He didn't want her to. Roaming the shadows changed a person and his Lisbon was perfect just the way she was.

"I don't know." She honestly didn't know what Wilkenson had done to deserve such a violent end. She'd been racking her brain trying to figure it out.

"Think. What always sets Red John off?" Jane asked curious if she was seeing what was right in front of her face. Lisbon was much too smart not to.

"Disrespect." That was the one constant in every killing she'd seen over the years.

Or a certain serial killers twisted definition of the word was.

"Exactly. Wilkerson died because of a perceived disrespect. One he was clearly guilty of by his actions." Jane continued studying the photograph of the slain officer deciding every bit of the man's weak character was apparent in his weasely face.

"In what way?" Surely Wilkerson had only been following orders when he'd tried to run them off the road. He'd certainly been following orders when he'd slipped in to leave that nasty surprise on their table.

"He deviated from the plan. It's as simple as that." Jane tossed the newspaper on his bedside table. That was the one thing Lorelei had in her favor. She'd not deviated from the plan. She'd been more than willing to snip his finger right off starting with his left ring finger. Wriggling the bare digit, Jane decided he'd much preferred taking his own ring off thank you very much. "Wilkenson probably thought he would make Red John happy doing more than he asked never realizing he was signing his own death warrant."

"I suppose." Lisbon replied wondering why such a fun evening had to end so crappily.

Why did she have to notice that discarded bit newspaper? Smokey Joe should have just tossed it in the can when he was done like any civilized person would do. He'd have saved her a lot of aggravation.

"Red John has his rules for a reason. If Wilkenson hadn't tried to run us off the road that night, we wouldn't have figured out who left that smiley face napkin behind. We may not have figured out anyone was watching us for quite a while and I doubt you would have noticed him up in the trees. Or if you had, we wouldn't have had proof he was Red John's man. For all we knew, he could have been part of the police force maintaining security around the fair. That's a common practice in every state.

I'm not saying either of us would have believed that; but, I seriously doubt we'd have put the pieces together as quickly as we did. You probably wouldn't have looked at that man close enough in passing to recognize him and realize you used to work together. He was in an unmarked police car surveying the grounds. You would have figured he was doing his job. For all I know, you may have walked over and talked to him. I'm sure he'd have spun you some cock and bull story you'd have found plausible before you led Daisy back to camp.

As it was, thanks to Wilkerson's ad libbing, we figured out we were being watched. More than that, we figured out the connection between our stalker and the CBI among other things. All of that is knowledge Red John didn't want us to have. He also had no way of knowing we wouldn't have Wilkenson picked up. That's something we could easily arrange through the team." Jane reminded her.

"Simply put, Wilkenson proved a weak link so he had to go. Don't let it bother you too much. The man was living on borrowed time from the moment he signed on with that psycho." Jane wasn't sympathetic all. As far as he was concerned, it was one less nut job to procreate and one less future criminal to put away.

"I guess so. It looks like a pretty clean kill which doesn't really make sense under the circumstances." Lisbon voiced the very thing she'd been wondering about. While undeniably messy, especially gut and head shots, two bullets left less carnage than Red John's typical butchering. There hadn't even been a bloody smiley face.

"Hardly clean, Lisbon. You cops leave a lot of details out at press conferences making it much more difficult for my kind to read between the lines." Jane said.

"What do you mean? It says Wilkenson was shot in the abdomen and in the head." Lisbon said.

"You clearly didn't read the whole article. The kill shot was to put him out of his misery once his tormentor decided Wilkenson had suffered enough. Or it appears that way. Actually, it was to ensure the man had no hope of surviving his injuries to give up any of their dirty little secrets." Jane looked at Lisbon knowing she was deliberately refusing to read between the lines as he already had. "Stop denying it, Lisbon. That you knew the guy personally doesn't change the fact he was sliced and diced to the point he was praying to whatever god he believed in for death long before he was given that release. Red John had a point to make and he had a sadistic tool in the area perfectly happy to make it for him. The point is pretty simple too: You do as you're told or you pay the consequences."

"Nothing in that article indicates torture." Lisbon corrected him.

"Sure it does. He was both shot and cut. They just make it sound like defensive wounds received over the course of fending off his attacker. In reality, those cuts were anything but defensive and they came after that first debilitating gut shot took the fight right out of him. His tormenter knew exactly what he was doing from the bullet through the intestines to that final shot right between the eyes. Oh, and everything happening in between. He probably has some kind of Special Forces military background.

Trust me when I say Wilkenson was a bloody mess by the time they found him. Every bit as bad as a Red John kill if not worse." Jane told her.

"How do you know that?" Lisbon asked still not totally convinced.

"By the open horror seasoned cops expressed through their word choices in the article. It would take far more than a couple of gun shots and some defensive wounds to cause all of that. Unless the reporter has chosen to make her statements more lurid than they originally were and I don't think that's true in this case. This murder is too high profile for the local PD to allow that kind of thing." There were a few other ways he knew of what he was speaking; but, Jane wasn't about to divulge them. He'd maintained there was no such thing as psychics for years and he wasn't about to change his story. Even to Lisbon. It would only creep her out as it did him at times. "More than likely Wilkenson's unseeing eyes were open and focused in the direction of his killer while his mouth was frozen in that last soundless scream he never got to utter. As horrible as the experience he'd just gone through was, he didn't want to die. He didn't want to face whatever he believed was waiting for him on the other side. In truth, he'd never thought he would have to. His mind would have still been much too clouded by shock and disbelief to realize what was going on until the last. Until his murderer told him his death was a present from Red John as his life light ebbed from his eyes. His last coherent thought was he'd been betrayed for a job well done."

"Maybe you have a point. Or maybe there's more you haven't told me." Lisbon said choosing to ignore the more unsettling parts of his explanation.

"Maybe there is. I've seen this kind of thing on a case or two before in the past. Mostly gang related; but, still, more familiar than I want to admit. It's a variation on an Oriental torture that was outlawed over a century ago. Those cuts are meant to cause excruciating pain through the vastness of their number. I'm sure large chunks of skin were filleted away before the executioner was done. The whole thing is gruesome and inhumane by anyone's standards. Wilkerson was probably pleading for that bullet between the eyes long before he got it whether he really wanted it or not.

If you don't believe me, have Cho check it out. I'm confident we'll find I'm right." Jane resealed the bag of chips as neither of them seemed to have much appetite any more.

"I might do that to appease my curiosity. He can make discrete inquiries without tipping our hand." Lisbon took a sip of soda.

"Actually, even though I suggested it, that wouldn't be a good idea. If Red John's still hacked into the CBI, he'll know why such inquiries are being made. And he'll know who made the initial query. While I'm positive he already suspects we're in touch with the team, I'm not sure we want to reveal our hand to the point of providing him with that proof." Jane reached over to entwine his fingers through Lisbon's.

"You may be right." Lisbon agreed.

"I am." Jane said. "Just trust I know what talking about. Besides, it doesn't really matter anymore. We're in Kansas now and all of that happened in Oklahoma. I'd say it's game over point to Red John. As I'd also say a new one has already begun."

"I hate it when you say things like that." Lisbon unrolled the bag of chips and sealed them back.

She really wasn't hungry any more. Jane's descriptions had painted mental images that were much too graphic in her head. Besides, just because she still had a few pounds to regain didn't mean she needed to stress eat. That was a hard habit to break once it got started.

"So do I. Especially when it happens to be true." Jane agreed leaning back and closing his eyes.

"Are you tired?" They hadn't gotten a lot of sleep since the night Wilkerson tried to run them off the road. Jane had to be exhausted. Lisbon knew she was.

"I'm fine. I just have a headache coming on." Jane said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Then I'd say we don't need to talk about this any more." Gazing over at her, Jane silently seconded her opinion.

"There isn't any reason to give Wilkerson a second thought. He's responsible for his fate and we're safe for now. Trust that you'll be the first to know if I feel any of that has changed." Jane promised.

"I do." Lisbon sat their plate and the chips on her bedside table clearing the bed.

Tugging his hand gently, she pulled Jane over to lay his head on her lap. Placing her fingers on either side of his head, she began gently massaging his temples. That used to help her mother get rid of headaches a long time ago. Maybe it would work for Jane. Whether it did or not, he certainly seemed to be enjoying the feel of her fingers against his skin. Lisbon couldn't resist the urge to run her hands lightly over his chest. There was something about being in Jane's presence that excited her whether she touched him or not. Leaning over, she dropped a kiss on his lips before resuming her gentle message of his temples.

"While that certainly feels good, I can think of better ways to cure a headache." Jane said as he suddenly sat up and pulled his shirt over her head.

"I just bet you can." Lisbon laughed out loud as he lifted her over to straddle him joining their bodies in one smooth thrust.

There were much better things to do with their night than discussing unpleasant events they could do nothing about. While Wilkerson was dead and Red John was beyond their reach as long as they were here and he was there, that didn't mean he wouldn't eventually pay. Both Lisbon and Jane intended doing everything in their power to see that he did just that.

In the meantime, they were going to live their lives as best they could and enjoy every precious moment they spent together.


	12. Chapter 12

To my guests: Thank you for the reviews. ~Calla

#

Lisbon glanced at the watch on her wrist for the hundredth time. Where was Jane? He should have been here fetching her a good half hour ago. Maybe something hadn't gone as well as it should have in closing down the last of the rides and booths. She'd finished putting Daisy and friends away for the night a half hour ago. Now she was standing around hugging Jedediah, Hezekiah's fluffy son, as Punkin was already asleep for the night. There was something about pint sized pygmy kids she found extraordinarily cute especially the caramel colored love muffin currently nibbling her hair and licking her ear.

Lisbon reminded herself there was no reason to lose her cool with Jane even if she was toe tapping bored and didn't want to walk across that wide expanse of field alone this late at night. She'd rethought the wisdom of locating their trailer so far from the rest of the camp more than once recently; but, given their occasional late night calls to Cho and general privacy issues, she was glad they continued the habit though it made her life more difficult at times. While not scared, Lisbon got mildly spooked thinking about Wilkerson.

She was also unsettled that Red John had yet to make his next move in the nearly six weeks since the police officer was all but flayed. He should have done something by now. Actually, if he were a normal, compulsive serial killer he _would_ have done something by now. But, he wasn't. He was Red John and the game was afoot. He'd act when he darn well pleased. Probably about the time he decided they were at the breaking point. Rather, _she_ was at her breaking point. Jane was a master of waiting for what will come.

Lisbon wasn't deluding herself that monster didn't know exactly where they were…even if they weren't in Kansas anymore and she meant that literally. In spite of the impromptu road trip they'd taken to temporarily scramble his brains. They'd known it wouldn't work in the end. But, even the shortest of respites from having a serial killer looking over their shoulder vicariously through his minions was a welcome deviation from what had become their norm.

She and Jane had left Kansas a week earlier than the rest of the crew for a reason. They'd hoped to throw Red John off for a while by meandering around Nebraska for those seven days taking in the sights like every other tourist. They'd mapped their routes using highly informative internet sites and they'd done just that. Lisbon had enjoyed every second from the dinosaur bones to the picnics by the river to watching the elks and the bison roaming about. She'd even enjoyed the pioneer recreations with their Wild West flavor.

Most of all, she'd been impressed Jane knew far more than he should have about every site they'd visited. His brain was a font of all of the useless information he'd managed to absorb from goodness only knew where. Somehow she suspected reading every encyclopedia in the library wasn't the answer and she really didn't want to know. How he stored so much up there without going nuts was the bigger question. Or maybe he was and that explained everything: information overload insanity.

Now, they were in Iowa where they'd been for the past two and half weeks. In another ten days or so they'd leave for Missouri then head for Arkansas and, eventually, Louisiana. They definitely weren't following the usual Midwestern route Jane was familiar with from the past. It seemed things had changed greatly in the years he'd been away…like their whole venue. Lisbon really didn't mind if Jane did a little.

They'd swung through six states since leaving California and would swing through at least three more in the next couple of months. She was having a blast visiting places she'd never been. She was hoping to stop in New Orleans before they were done. She'd always wanted to go there and see what all the fuss was about. Jane would probably be right at home in all of the strangeness.

Absently rocking the docile kid in her arms, Lisbon contemplated all the weeks, actually months, she'd been part of the carnival. She and Jane usually worked different areas of the nightly close down. He helped with the rides and equipment while she, Pete, and Jake put the animals away. Most nights she was the last to leave her charges as she was waiting for Jane to join her for the walk home.

It wasn't all that uncommon for him to be later than she thought he should be. There were plenty of times when things didn't go as smoothly as they could. When there were equipment malfunctions or the like. Not with the rides; but, most commonly with the cooking equipment in the booths or with the actually closing down operations.

More often than not, they'd find people hiding out where they shouldn't be. Or trying to sneak back into that ridiculous haunted house ride unnoticed. That was the one Lisbon found the stupidest. That was their hokiest ride from the get go. Why anyone would want to have anything to do with it in the first place was beyond her. However, it was one of their biggest money makers. It was also their biggest problem when it came to fair goers turning mischievous.

That was probably what Jane was doing now…chasing bratty teenagers out of the haunted house before they destroyed any of the delicate props. She hoped that was what he was doing. She'd hate to think he was doing anything more serious without her by his side. She was the one packing heat. Granted it was just her .38 in the ankle holster, but it was still enough firepower to do serious damage.

And all she was permitted to carry when the carnival was open. Her more serious toys had to stay behind in their trailer and the truck. The old boys in the know didn't want any accidents and they didn't care if she was a Senior Agent at the CBI…or she had been. They weren't taking any chances with their cash cow.

Lisbon laughed at the thought she'd be that careless. She'd never shot anyone she hadn't meant to and that was saying a lot. Of course, that could change at any time. She'd run into some fools since she'd been on the carney circuit definitely testing her resolve. Once they'd even had to stop some nut job from setting her petting zoo inhabitants free. Fortunately, Zedekiah and Amy preferred knowing where their next meal was coming from to bolting. She'd not been looking forward to running after them. She'd run after their miscreant and tackled him instead. She was happy to say the interloper had been handed over to the local police and that had been the end of the incident. It could have been much worse.

"Hey, Amber, ready to call it a night?" Jane appeared around the corner looking the worse for wear.

They'd obviously run into some kind of trouble along the way. Or, more likely from the look of things, he had. Whether it was trouble putting the final touches on a close down, or something more ominous, she couldn't tell.

"Where have you been?" Lisbon rose to her feet.

"I'll tell you when we get home." Jane answered honestly. "Here, I'll hold the gate for you."

"That doesn't sound like anything I want to hear." Nope, that definitely sounded ominous.

Lisbon gave Jedediah a hug before tucking him carefully back into the pen with the rest of his friends and family. Pygmy goats didn't do well alone so they kept them corralled together like puppies in pack. It worked very well for everyone.

"It probably isn't; but, that doesn't change the fact you're going to." Jane said as he draped his arm around her shoulders and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "You have a definite baby-goat-cloaked-in-cherry-vanilla-pet-shampoo-smell about you." He commented in passing.

"And you're rather aromatic yourself." Lisbon countered not finding his man sweat offensive in the least. But, that didn't mean he smelled like shower fresh Jane either. It was more of a masculine, musky something in between.

"You don't seem to mind." Jane prepared to punch the keypad.

"I suppose I don't though I'd say we both need a shower." Lisbon offered watching him key in the combination.

"I suppose we do; but, my guess is you want to talk first." Jane unlocked the door and held it open for her.

"You guess right." Lisbon countered as she walked over to the refrigerator to pour two glasses of juice.

She'd rather have something stronger as it had been a trying day, but that would be breaking her unbreakable rules. Between that shot of whiskey at the poker game and the bottle of wine they'd had with dinner the other night, they'd reached their quota for a while. Besides, she had an unspoken rule she never had a drink when she felt like she needed one. That was what had gotten her father in trouble. She wasn't about to follow in his footsteps. It didn't hurt that Jane wasn't that much of drinker either. For the most part, he preferred tea.

Not unless he was sneaking around stealing very expensive nips of Bourbon or whiskey from their more affluent suspects when she wasn't looking. Lisbon wanted to kill him every time he pulled that one. She'd had to foot the bill for more than one much too expensive bottle of 30 year old Cognac in the past thanks to Jane's snifter pilfering ways to avert a PR disaster and keep her job. She'd then made him take her out for an equally expensive dinner to even the score. And, though not a one had come remotely close to being a date, they'd certainly enjoyed themselves. Then again, they'd always enjoyed the casual times they'd spent together after those first rocky couple of years when they'd still been working their dynamics out.

"I know you'd rather have tea; but, that'll take longer than I want to wait to hear what you have to say." Lisbon handed him the glass of purple grape juice before taking her seat at the dinette.

Whatever Jane had to share, she wasn't in the mood to get all cozy just to listen to him say things she didn't want to hear in the first place. She watched him slide on the bench across from her and take a sip of juice. That he wasn't trying to touch her said it all. Whatever he had to say was bad. Certainly bad enough to be nothing she wanted to hear.

"Okay, what gives and what were you doing? Following Red John's latest spy?" Lisbon watched the concern pass over his face. "Jane, I was just being a smart aleck…But, you were, weren't you? Following a Red John spy? He's found us already. Even taking into account we aren't following the usual route?" Lisbon was suddenly glad she hadn't taken off for home on her own.

"Even given we aren't following the usual route. It's no biggie, Teresa. We knew he was going to do that eventually anyway." Jane patted her hand absently.

"Another cop?" Lisbon twirled her empty glass between her palms.

"Yeah, another cop." Jane confirmed.

"I thought so. If he's got moles in the FBI, I don't know why I find it so hard to believe he can have police officers in other places." Lisbon set her glass aside with a clink.

"I don't necessarily think he's got another tool in the area. It could be something as simple as having his mole in the Sacramento FBI office call the local PD to arrange some interoffice cooperation to check out a person of interest. Their instructions could be to observe and report back whatever they see. You know how all of that works.

In fact, that's exactly what I think is going on. I still don't think we're in any danger and I certainly don't think any of these fools recognize either of us. Or if they do, they've been told to keep it under wraps for now and they're cooperating." Setting his empty glass aside, Jane rose to turn the burner on under his kettle.

Since he'd already spilled the beans, he couldn't see Lisbon objecting to his making tea now. Besides, he needed a cup, and unlike with alcohol, copious amounts of tea didn't come with unpleasant side effects.

Rooting through the cabinet Jane selected a nice chamomile blend to steep. They could both use some stress relief and this would work nicely even if Lisbon wasn't in the mood for tea. Pouring water over the infusers, Jane turned to watch Lisbon sitting with her eyes closed while he waited for the tea to steep. Discarding the used tea leaves, he carried the two cups to the table and offered her one.

"Chamomile and spearmint." Lisbon named the only two herbs she could readily identify by taste and scent.

"Very good, it is German chamomile and spearmint. There's lavender and a few other herbs in there as well." She didn't need the complete ingredient list and neither did he. The truth was he'd much prefer a nice Earl Grey. But, this was better for both of them at the moment. It was far more soothing than agitating as the caffeine would be.

"So, exactly how did things go down and why didn't you come get me? You could have run into trouble and you're basically defenseless if he'd pulled a gun." Lisbon took a sip of tea deciding it tasted pretty good.

"He wasn't going to pull a gun, Lisbon. I wasn't threatening him in any way and he wasn't supposed to give the game away." Jane gently caressed the back of her hand. "As for the other, there wasn't time to get you. I'd have lost valuable information if I had and I wouldn't have been sure he was truly watching us." Jane smiled as she turned her hand over to wrap her fingers through his.

"Are you sure he was watching us?" Lisbon asked.

"I'm sure." Jane sniffed his tea enjoying the minty bite before he took another sip. "You probably noticed him at some point over the evening. He was a tall, lanky red headed guy with freckles wearing a local PD uniform. Not the best choice for covert work as he sticks out like a sore thumb. That in itself supports the fact he was sent in to observe and nothing more."

"I guess it does." Lisbon agreed still not liking the idea. "What makes you think he was really watching _us_ and not just ensuring everything closed down without incident?"

"I left the crew about an hour early when I noticed him going in directions I didn't think he should be. He stopped patrolling and started taking notes around the time he started watching you." Jane gazed out the window at the moon as he gathered his thoughts. It had taken every atom of resolve in him not yank a knot in the man and let him do what he'd been told to do. He'd forced himself to silently observe the observer instead.

"What do you mean he started taking notes about the time he started watching me?" Lisbon forced her voice to remain even as she tamped down on the urge to pummel Jane for allowing such a thing to happen.

"He was taking down your routine. Everything you were doing and how long it took to do it. I imagine he's been doing it for the past several nights and I also imagine they have a pretty accurate timeline for your activities by now. They probably also know about what time I swing by to meet you allowing for a fifteen to thirty minute time differentiation." Jane told her quietly.

"So now I have to be afraid when I'm putting the animals away?" Lisbon didn't like that particular thought at all.

She'd grown to love settling her pets down for the night starting with the impish Daisy who was given to pranks along the way. She'd taken to hiding pieces of dried fruit in her pockets just to keep the pachyderm occupied until they got where they were going. Nothing tickled more than an elephant's trunk sneaking into places it wasn't supposed to be. Then she'd settle the ponies for the night followed by the sheep, the chickens, and bunnies. The pygmy goats were always last.

"Concerned, yes; but, there's no reason to be afraid. You won't be closing the exhibit by yourself anymore. I've already spoken with Pete." Jane informed her quietly.

"Wonderful. Now I can't even protect myself." Lisbon clearly wasn't happy with this latest revelation.

"Not if your back is turned or if he gets the upper hand. Red John has already proven he can take out seasoned cops with very little effort. I'm not willing to take that chance with you and we both know I can't be with you all the time. We both have duties we're expected to perform. Duties we want to perform. I don't think either of us appreciates the thought he can rob us of those pleasures." Jane reminded her.

"No, we don't." Lisbon said fiercely unwilling to contemplate never nose nuzzling Punkin or teasing Daisy with red delicious apples as long as she was part of the family. She was going to miss all of them soon enough when they finally returned to Sacramento. She wasn't going to spend a second missing them when she didn't have to…Red John or no Red John.

"Then I'd say we don't let him." Jane washed and dried their tea cups before putting them away.

"Works for me. I'm going to take a shower. You can join me if you want; but, no monkey business. I'm not in the mood for your sneaky tricks and we still have to call Cho in forty five minutes." Lisbon reminded him.

The bad part was Cho didn't know they were calling. She could only hope he had that phone on him late on a Friday night. She also hoped he wasn't on a date or worse….

#

"Cho, you alone?" Jane leaned back against black leather with Lisbon splayed across his chest. He'd obeyed her rules and stuck to the sexy grooming routine. Neither of them was really in the mood for anything more. Discussing Red John had a way of doing that…sending one's libido scampering out the door.

Rubbing Lisbon's back like she'd rubbed Jedediah's, Jane smiled slightly over the fact she didn't know he'd called Cho a couple of days ago to make arrangements for the rest of the team to be at his place for the call. Lisbon had yet to speak to either Rigsby or Van Pelt and it was taking a toll on her. What was playing in his favor was she still thought the call was something they were doing out of the blue. She couldn't be more wrong. The only person this call was a secret from was her.

And speaking of the team, they'd be utterly shocked if they could see them now. They totally wouldn't believe he was wearing a half naked Lisbon blanket. That was okay. He was, and he was the only one having to know. There was something to be said for keeping their trailer toasty warm on these slightly nippy nights. Lisbon wasn't going for those gosh awful light flannel pajamas he hoped she never wore. They were staying in storage under their bed exactly where they belonged. She preferred the usual next nothing she always wore.

"Yep. Just me." Cho was ever the man of few words.

"Wayne and Grace running late I take it?" Jane commented thinking what he wasn't about to say out loud. Lisbon's ears were already perking up at his words.

She'd go ballistic if she knew what he was thinking. It didn't matter it wasn't her place to be concerned any more. They'd still be breaking rules and regulations they had no business breaking. And though she was better, Lisbon still tried to play it as by the book as he'd let her. That was never really going to change and, while exasperating at times; it was one of the things he loved about her. She was truly a good person and she didn't like deviating from the black and white. That he'd corrupted her to the extent he had was truly a miracle. It had only taken him a decade of really trying to accomplish the little he had.

"Always." Cho quipped as they all heard a faint doorbell ding in the background and the door opening.

"Is that the Boss on the phone?" Van Pelt's voice came through loud and clear.

"Yeah." Cho's voice came through loud and clear as did sounds of footsteps and the rustling of seats.

"Hey, Boss." Van Pelt's voice sounded through the phone. "Hey, Jane. Wayne says 'hello,' too."

Lisbon returned the greetings for both of them.

"Cho, tell me what you've heard about the Wilkerson murder. Anything more than you told me earlier?" Jane asked.

"No. Just that you were right about how he died. The man was all but a slab of meat by the time that guy was done." Cho really didn't want to think about the gruesome descriptions he'd read. No-one should die that way. Not even a dirty cop.

"I didn't think you would." Though he'd dared hope differently.

"You want me to dig around?" Jane shook his head.

"No. We don't want to tip Red John's hand we're communicating with you guys. Nothing has changed from before. Just tell me what you've heard since you've already told Jane." Lisbon answered instead.

"A copy of the file crossed Minelli's desk since Wilkerson used to be CBI. Local PD figures he crossed some gang bangers, they broke into his place, and got their revenge. Funny thing is he happened to be involved in a large drug bust involving a Chinese gang so the kill method seems to fit. The case has gone cold since there wasn't any real evidence left behind. No fingerprints or blood that wasn't his. As messy as the crime scene was the murder was meticulous. There was nothing useful left behind." Cho sounded like an infomercial reciting facts so there was nothing new there.

"I didn't expect there would be." Lisbon said what both she and Jane were thinking. Not adding that the kill method fit a little too well to be anything but contrived.

"It was him wasn't it, Boss?" Cho stated what everyone knew and didn't want to say.

"We think so. Wilkerson stepped out of line and got reined in by another disciple on RJ's orders." Lisbon filled in that blank as she heard rustling in the background.

Since it was much too loud to be one person, Rigsby and Van Pelt must be sneaking off to get snacks and drinks. There was only one reason why it was necessary for both of them to do a one person job as Cho was probably already nursing his beer. They really weren't that bright at times. Lisbon shook her head though they couldn't see her. They really, really weren't. So much for keeping secrets secrets.

"Cho, I know they're in the kitchen getting beers and snacks. Turn the speaker off. I have a couple of things I need to ask." Lisbon said into the phone realizing they were no longer on speaker halfway through. "What's going on with Rigsby and Van Pelt?"

"Nothing." Cho lied.

"That's not true, Cho. I can hear it in your voice." Lisbon called him on it.

"Sarah won't take him back." Not a big surprise there.

"She's seeing someone else?" Lisbon deduced what Cho hadn't said from his tone.

"Yes." He really didn't want to talk about Rigsby's business as it wasn't his place.

"Another attorney." Lisbon guessed rightly without waiting for confirmation. "So, Rigsby's sneaking around with Van Pelt again."

"Something like that; but, I didn't tell you." Cho said.

"No, you didn't, I figured it out because that's what I've expected to happen for a long time. Besides, why else would both of them go to fetch two beers other than smooch time? I can't leave you guys alone for any length of time without all hell breaking loose." Lisbon commented.

"No, I don't guess you can." Cho said though he didn't totally agree. Their biggest instigator of all hell breaking loose was with his Boss at the moment.

"Turn the speaker phone back on." Lisbon said confident Cho was obeying as usual. If there was any question of her Number One's obedience, it was laid to rest by the sudden sound of Rigsby and Van Pelt talking in the background. "Hey, Wayne, either you guys do a better job of keeping that thing between you secret than you did before or keep it in your pants. Same goes for you, Grace. And stop with the dirty looks in Cho's direction. He didn't confirm anything I didn't already know. There's a reason I'm the Boss. Or I used to be. I've seen the way you two keep looking at each other and knew it was only a matter of time after Sarah left. It would have helped you guys if you hadn't both gone to fetch a couple of beers. I know the snacks were already on the table because I could hear Rigsby grazing long before you guys just left. I'm a cop just like everyone else you work with. I notice things like that." Lisbon spoke into the phone feeling the familiar pang of guilt.

If Rigsby hadn't helped her and Jane with that whole Red John scam, he'd probably still be with the mother of his child. The scam that had gone horribly awry ending in Wainwright's death and Darcy's enforced medical leave. Then again, the whole thing might have fallen apart anyway. The love of a child wasn't enough to keep a couple together who were never meant to be. It was funny how life worked out that way.

She only hoped Van Pelt was a different woman this time around than she'd been the first time. The one thing Lisbon did know was she wasn't interfering in any way and she'd help them keep their secret. If they'd learned their lesson and were smart enough to pull it off this time, more power to them. She wished them all the best. Besides, she wasn't exactly in any position to be anything more than the pot calling the kettle black.

"On to other things…I take it nothing's changed with the Rafferty case?" Lisbon asked point blank knowing Cho would have told her if it had.

"Evidence has started disappearing from lock up." Cho said quietly.

"Like what?" Lisbon asked.

"Your gun for one." Rigsby answered.

"You didn't think that was important enough to let us know?" Jane questioned not liking the sound of that at all. There was no telling what Red John had in mind and a gun with Lisbon's fingerprints on it wasn't a good thing to have at large.

"We just found out this evening and I knew you were calling tonight anyway." Cho defended his actions.

"I guess there was no reason to call then. It's not like we can do anything anyway." Lisbon was as disturbed by Jane as this latest turn in events. It couldn't herald anything good.

"What else is missing?" Jane asked.

"Some of the documentation and interoffice memos where Minelli and LaRoche documented their concern over Lisbon's continuing interest after she'd been taken off the case." Van Pelt offered. "Both the paper copies and the emails. It appears Red John is still hacking into the system at will even with the new changes."

"That could be good or bad depending on the context." Jane commented deciding this latest news was just plain weird. Why would Red John be destroying the evidence that could only help convict Lisbon as they went to her less than rational state of mind? To the probability she was fully capable of taking a man's life in cold blood. That was an interesting turn of events.

"Yeah, it could." Lisbon agreed.

"Is there anything else we need to know?" Jane asked.

"Nope, not really, except LaRoche is even creepier than he used to be." Van Pelt volunteered knowing Cho had told her he'd taken over the SCU as he had once before.

"What else is new?" Lisbon asked.

"Don't say nothing." Jane chimed in before the team could tell her just that. "You asked that cute red headed biker chick hanging at the cop dive out on a date yet, Cho?"

"None of your business, Jane." Cho said not enjoying having his personal life discussed at all.

"I'll take that as a 'yes.' She's a little rough around the edges, but she's a nice enough girl from what I've seen. Models for one of those biker magazines but she doesn't have all those interesting tattoos everywhere. Or I don't think she does. You'd be in a better place to know than me." Jane teased.

"None of your business, Jane." Cho said again.

And, yes, in spite of being almost as awesome a pool player as the Boss and undeniably a biker chick, Emily was a nice, bright girl exactly as Jane said. She still lived at home for that matter. If by home one meant with her older single brother who happened to be an overprotective cop. Cho still watched his step around Big John. At least until they were out the door and down the street.

Truthfully, Emily seemed a little young for him at first glance, but they enjoyed each other's company. She wasn't exactly as she seemed and, being from a family of cops, she was comfortable dating a detective and with everything that entailed. As for the rough around the edges part, that was a cultivated part of her biker chick persona. He could pretty much take her anywhere he wanted without worrying about how she would act. Emily definitely wasn't a Summer. She was interesting and different without being dangerous to his either his sanity or his career and he liked her. Enough said.

"Shush, Jane. Leave Cho alone. We're happy for you." Lisbon said into the phone as they went on to chat about inane things for a while longer confident they couldn't be traced.

Besides, Red John already knew where to find them so it wasn't like they truly had anything to hide. And if evidence was beginning to disappear as her team was indicating…she didn't even want to think about what that could possibly mean. Nothing good she was sure…not with cops already sniffing around them.

As for the missing evidence, nothing that was missing really made that much of an impact in the case against her. They were but the tip of the iceberg. Whether they had the gun or not, they had numerous photographs and other pieces of corroborating evidence proving her fingerprints were on that weapon and that it had been recently fired into the victim. They had the bullets and ballistics reports. The list went on and on. She'd been thoroughly framed with layer upon layer of interconnected evidence nearly impossible to refute. Lisbon couldn't shake the feeling things were slowly drifting from bad to worse as their lives were being manipulated yet again by forces beyond their control in ways they couldn't see.

Any way she looked at the situation there was nothing reassuring in what she knew.

"You have anything you need to say?" Jane asked as he held out the phone.

"Nothing except we'll talk to you guys before too long. Keep your noses clean and stay out of trouble." Lisbon said into the phone listening the round of responses.

"You heard the Boss. We'll catch you later." Jane clicked the phone off and set it aside.

"I feel bad about telling Rigsby to keep it in his pants when I expect you to do anything but." Lisbon said as she wrapped her arms around Jane's neck yet again.

"Why? He and Van Pelt are CBI teammates which is clearly against the rules and regulations as far as getting romantically involved is concerned." Jane reminded her.

"And I'm a Senior Agent and you're my consultant." Lisbon said as though he could possibly forget.

"No, Teresa, you aren't. No more than I'm a CBI consultant. Not at the moment. Though I have little doubt we'll both eventually return to our positions. That's when the trouble will begin.

For now, we've done nothing wrong. We're just two long time friends who decided it was time to become more." Jane clarified reality for her in case she'd forgotten.

"Is that what we are? Something more? That's an interesting way of putting it." Lisbon tucked a strand of too long hair behind his ear.

"I suppose it is; but, until we're home in Sacramento, my hands are tied. I've been asked not to say the words defining the something more and I've agreed to honor that promise." Not that he'd wanted to.

"You have and I appreciate that. It would only make things more difficult for both of us." Lisbon resisted the urge to twirl that same strand that refused to stay put around her fingers.

"I'm happy to wait." Jane lied through his teeth knowing it would make her happy.

Then again, who really needed to say the words when he was fully capable of showing Lisbon precisely how he felt? Not when she already knew he was willing to say them as soon as she was ready to hear them. Somehow, Jane suspected, Lisbon preferred dictating the terms of their relationship. It made her feel more in control when nothing could be farther from the truth. But, that she believed the fallacy was all that mattered in the long run and it wasn't necessary to burst her bubble. There was plenty of time to do that later when she'd take it better.


	13. Chapter 13

Tucking her pistol in her ankle holster, Lisbon stepped outside under the awning with her steaming cup of coffee. Casing the field around them, she was happy to note no one was lurking in the shadows that shouldn't be. In fact, her surroundings were fairly deserted except for her since Jane was inside getting dressed. Looking around, it was still too early for most of their fellow carnies to be out and about. Oh, they were awake. She'd make no mistake about that. The carnies were fairly early risers considering how late their nights usually ended. Most were still at the bed head, o.j., and biscuits stage of their day. She and Jane were a little ahead of the curve.

Plopping into her favorite chair, Lisbon pondered the three days since she'd talked to her team. She wasn't happy about Rigsby and Van Pelt's sneaking around again. She was happy they were together again. But, not so happy they were bucking the rules. When the crap hit the fan as it was bound to, the fallout would be unpleasant for everyone. Making it worse, she couldn't be there to soften it. On the plus side, something told her they wouldn't give up so easily this time. She certainly hoped not. A few more years of Rigsby mooning over Grace and her pretending to move on with her life wasn't something she looked forward to.

As for Cho, the developments in his life were slightly more astonishing. He'd put the make on Emily, huh? She hadn't even known he was interested. Then again why wouldn't he be? The girl was striking, sassy, and would have her MA in archaeology in a few months which was a couple of years ahead of schedule so she was obviously bright. She was also all of twenty-two or three at the most though she seemed older. Not Cho's usual taste.

Then again, maybe Emily had put the make on Cho. She had been eye-balling her right hand man quite a bit the last few times the team had gotten together as a group and she was a very determined girl. Emily was the closest to getting beaten at a good game of pool Lisbon had been in a long time. Even Jane wasn't that much of a challenge when she kept him from cheating his pants off. Smiling into her coffee, Lisbon wished Cho luck. He was going to need all the help he could get against a classics reading, leather wearing, red-headed biker chick with the moxy to back it up.

Turning her thoughts back to her own situation, Lisbon mulled the fact nothing out of the ordinary had occurred over the last few days. Not unless she counted her first glimpse of her latest stalker as something extraordinary. She kind of did as he'd not shown immediately as she'd expected. Nope, he waited two whole nights after Jane had revealed his existence. Maybe he'd thought she would overreact and shoot him. The thought had crossed her mind though she'd restrained herself.

Stinky wouldn't take kindly to having to explain a dead body at the fair to the local authorities. Not when the dead body was one of their own. And not when his killer was a wanted murderess and a rogue cop they'd been knowingly hiding. Harboring a fugitive was difficult to explain away under any circumstances. So, she'd left her gun where it belonged: in her holster. Doing anything else would have cost her seat at the weekly poker game and she didn't want that. She enjoyed whipping the old boys' tails every chance she got. Even if they were foolish enough to think they would eventually win. That wasn't going to happen if she and Jane had anything to say about it and they were a wicked team.

Taking a healthy slug of coffee, Lisbon cursed when it burned her mouth. She needed to pay better attention to what she was doing. Contemplating nasty events wasn't a viable excuse for hurting herself. Anyways, she'd been alone last night as she wasn't supposed to be dilly dallying with Daisy as usual while she waited for her nightly escort home. Jake had gotten vilely ill a couple of hours earlier with some nasty stomach bug so she'd sent him home where he belonged. Almost getting puked on once was bad enough without it happening again.

Pete had then gotten called away on an emergency along with most of the guys leaving her to play a round of "evade the pachyderm's trunk." She'd finally given up and tossed Daisy the last apple in her pack. She'd probably have to fetch more from storage before she was done. But, maybe winning their silly game would hold the elephant until she settled down for the night as it sometimes did. She'd not held her breath on that one. Daisy was wound up as she hadn't been in a while.

It was in the process of surrendering her treat that she'd noticed _him_ leaning against a tree studying her every move. The creeper was diligently taking notes in a pad exactly as Jane had said. Mildly taken aback at his blatant scrutiny, she'd continued settling the animals in for the night. As much as she wanted to believe otherwise, that guy couldn't be anyone but the man Jane was talking about. There weren't two tall, lanky police officers with an impossible to miss carrot top working the fair. She'd know if there were. Or she hoped she would.

Then again she hadn't known this guy was here until he'd wanted her to. Actually, she hadn't known at all. It had been Jane who'd found him. Not that hiding out had been hard to do. He'd simply stayed away from the places he'd known she'd be which meant someone was observing her before him. That thought gave Lisbon the out and out shudders. Would the weirdness never cease? Probably not since Red John was involved.

What made the thought tall boy had pulled off his spying unnoticed even more preposterous was the fact he was every bit as hard to miss as Jane said. And not just because of the vibrant hair. For one thing, he was almost as tall as Rigsby meaning he didn't blend in well in the crowd. Not that he tried. He was far more interested in observing her and he didn't care if she knew it. She did care. She'd studied his lean physique figuring she could probably take him if she had to as long as she had the element of surprise.

She'd hoped it wouldn't come to that. Reality was a little too iffy for Lisbon's tastes. The way the creeper had watched her every move meant surprise wasn't really on her side. Besides, he'd have known she was evaluating the odds of taking him down if he forced her hand. That was exactly what she'd do a similar situation. It was a cop thing and, badge or not, she was still a cop in her head. Besides, she still had her badge and her guns. She just wasn't flashing them. And knowing Red John was out there meant she wasn't about to let her senses get rusty either. She'd been staying on her toes like a good cop should. Yes, she had.

Taking another sip of coffee, Lisbon continued pondering last night sifting through the finer details for anything she might have missed. She'd accept the tiniest nonsensical glimmer shedding light on either their visitor or his intensions. Right now, neither she nor Jane could do more than guess at the officer's purpose. On the surface, it seemed pretty cut and dried. He was gathering intel on her daily habits which was pretty unsettling in itself. What the heck did Red John care about her nightly routine? Hopefully he wasn't planning on snatching her. That wasn't an inconceivable thought as abhorrent as she found it. Pacing in the familiar manner she always did in her office, Lisbon went over every detail of last night in her mind.

After she'd coaxed Daisy to sleep, she'd given the zoo enclosure a last once over pretending to ignore the freak she wished wasn't there. It was always best to ensure none of her tiny friends would be making a break for it if the mood struck some time tomorrow. While she'd yet to encounter that problem, she'd been assured it wasn't unheard of. Sometimes the denizens of her happy animal kingdom preferred walking amongst their subjects to having their subjects walking amongst them. She wasn't looking forward to her first real jail break and hoped it never happened. It would be hell catching all the little pygmies given how fast they could run.

She'd also spent most of the time surreptitiously watching her observer as she'd gone about her business praying Jane would get his butt in gear and show up soon. Carrot top was giving her the willies. There was something about his nasty half smile she really didn't like. She didn't like it at all. It was too reminiscent of a red headed crocodile. Like he knew something she didn't and could take a bite out of her whenever he pleased. The bad part was he probably did and he probably could. Lisbon wasn't foolish enough to think she had the upper hand.

She'd been studying her stalker so intently from beneath her lashes she'd not realized Jane was coming up behind her until she'd felt his hands gripping her shoulders. Fortunately, she'd known who it was by scent and touch. Otherwise, he'd have scared her half to death and maybe gotten hurt for his trouble. As it was, she'd fallen into a welcoming kiss that said Jane had his mind on anything but business. Getting swept up moment, she'd not had time to be concerned, or embarrassed, that their watcher was seeing far more than anyone should see of their intimate encounters. She'd been mussed and flushed when they'd broken apart and Jane wasn't much better. In fact, she'd have said he was worse.

Staring at her empty cup, Lisbon stepped back inside their travel trailer to make another coffee not at all surprised to find Jane busily making tea. Though he continued to drink coffee in public, he was anything but a convert. The man was still addicted to tiny leaves of tea.

"Jane, what were you doing last night?" That kiss hadn't made sense at the time.

It wasn't that long since they'd seen each other last. Playing along with the kiss, she'd wondered what he was up to. It wasn't like he hadn't swung by about two hours earlier when Jake retired for the night to check on her before meandering off to close down a ride. There was no reason to act like they hadn't seen each other in days.

As for the rest of their evening, a much promise as that pivotal moment seemed to hold, they'd both been worn out and aggravated. Neither of them was in the mood to talk or anything else. It was far easier to take their respective showers and go to bed. It was also very telling neither of them really cared the other felt that way. They'd preferred snuggling down and closing their eyes. Not at all how they usually spent their nights especially not after a kiss like that.

Watching Jane toss tea leaves in the trash, Lisbon mulled over the kiss that was more than a kiss. Sure, they occasionally shared PDA's. Rather Amber and Jack did. It would be more out of character if they didn't. Lisbon and Jane were more circumspect. But, what Jane had pulled in the petting zoo had been a full blown eat-her-alive demonstration leaving nothing to the imagination. No one could get anything out of that vigorous lip lock with accompanying hand action but they were doing the horizontal mambo every chance they got. And they didn't give a flip who knew it. Lisbon wasn't sure she was comfortable making the reality of their situation that explicit for Red John's man. Though the serial killer had to suspect the nature of their relationship had long changed; he hadn't known beyond a shadow of a doubt exactly how intimate it had really become. He did now thanks to Jane.

"Wiping that nasty smile off that big weasel's face and letting him know if he tries to harm a hair on your head, he's a dead man. I'll personally tear him apart limb by limb." Jane said calmly as he took a sip of tea.

"And that was smart how?" Lisbon asked as she added cream to her coffee.

"It seemed smart to me since neither Jake nor Pete seem able to stay where they belong." Jane sat at the dinette to enjoy his tea.

"Jake was puking his guts up, and as I'm already fighting off what he's got, I really didn't want him around me when he doesn't have to be. I'd have let you know you might not want to kiss me if you'd given me a chance. As for Pete, he didn't have a choice. There was some kind of emergency with a tent in the agricultural exhibit only he could take care of. Besides, we were expecting you any time." Lisbon sat down across from him.

"I'll let them off the hook this time. As for warning me off, forget it. We've already swapped so much slobber lately one kiss isn't going to make the difference between me catching some bug or not." Jane patted her hand in that manner saying he was clearly laughing at her.

"That's so romantic, Jane." Lisbon smacked his hand.

"But true. Besides, I didn't think you wanted romantic." Jane placed his hand lightly over hers.

"I don't; but you always manage to slip those moments in anyway." Lisbon set her cup aside as it was much too hot to drink for now.

"You enjoy every one." Jane reminded her.

"Yeah, I do." Lisbon tested her coffee. "Do you think it was wise to let that creep know exactly how close we are?"

"Do you think Red John doesn't already know? I'm more concerned with how he's going to try to pull us apart than I am with him knowing we're full blown lovers and not just friends with benefits." Jane fiddled with a lever on the blind.

"Is that what we are?" Lisbon hid her eyes behind a gulp of coffee.

"How stupid do you think I am, Teresa? You'd pull out your gun and shoot me if I tried to make it anything less. Not that I'd ever consider it. We're partners, remember?" Jane silently dared her to look at him.

"I've never had any problem remembering that though I've wondered about you sometimes." There was a faint hint of fire in her eyes.

"I can assure you, I've never forgotten either…even if I haven't always acted that way." Jane savored a sip of tea not sure he really liked this newest blend.

"Good to know." That was an admission she hadn't heard in a while.

"Yes, it is. Besides, we're pulling out in the morning so I don't think that kiss really matters as he'll be out of hair after tonight." Only to be replaced by a different model but Jane didn't want to think about that.

"I guess he will." For the handful of days it took Red John to get another minion in place.

"What do you say we shelve this conversation and move on to more pleasant things?" Jane rose to his feet and carried both of their cups to the sink. "We can pick it up later if you insist."

"I need to get to work anyway." Lisbon agreed.

"Try to finish early. I'll pick you up about six." Jane said as he dried his cup.

"For what?" Lisbon's voice was mildly curious.

"There's a nice place in town that has lots of dark corners and really good food. We've got reservations for eight. Smokey Joe highly recommends it." Jane leaned against the sink as he turned to stare at her.

He was wisely giving them plenty of wiggle room for dealing with any of those unforeseen delays popping up in the life of a carney. They weren't missing their reservation because he had to help fix a broken burner or a shorted switch. He'd spent too much time arranging a quiet date to let a little thing like real life interfere with his plans. Lisbon deserved a break even if they were taking a slight risk someone might recognize one or both them as they always did on those rare occasions they went out.

"And that's good how?" Lisbon snorted thinking she could only imagine the kind of place S.J. would give high accolades.

"It's a nice place, Teresa. I've checked it out." It was definitely not the kind of place he'd expected Smokey to recommend either. It was much too fancy.

Then again, there was more to his old friend than met the eye. He must have stepped out with a higher classed woman than his usual caliber somewhere along the way which wasn't that hard to imagine. Joe cleaned up nicely when he wanted to. He'd also been a successful business man before he'd run afoul of some unsavory characters and returned to his roots a lifetime ago. Jane wasn't going to say precisely what kind of businessman. Just that he'd been one of the best.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Lisbon asked.

"I think it will be fine. We're pulling out in the morning anyway." Jane reminded her. "Besides, I've already cleared everything with Johan and Pete."

"I suppose you want me to wear a dress?" She hadn't worn any of her dresses since they'd left Scottsdale and honestly hadn't wanted to.

"That would be nice." Jane agreed knowing Lisbon wouldn't waste much thought on which dress she'd wear.

She'd probably just grab one, the dreaded panty hose, and modest heels and go for it. In the end, his date would probably have the same expression on her face she'd had trying on that pink bride's maid dress that never was.

Putting his choice in the front of her closet would increase the likelihood she'd wear what he wanted never realizing what he'd done. It was a perfectly devious Jane plan and his favorite kind. Even better, they'd both be happy in the end. Lisbon would get an evening away from her troubles and he'd get to see her looking softly feminine. Smokey Joe wasn't the only one who cleaned up nicely.

"Fine, you win. I guess since you're finally taking me on another date, I can wear a dress." Lisbon snarked as she kissed his cheek.

"Sounds like a fair compromise to me. I'd say we need to get a move on if we want to get back on time." Jane kissed her lips before urging Lisbon out the door.

Johan and Daisy were waiting and neither were known for their patience.

#

Carrying the last bag into their home and setting it on the table, Jane watched Lisbon rise from the couch where she'd been staring out the window deep in thought. As they'd made it to Missouri from Iowa without incident last night, he didn't know what she was so concerned about. Or maybe he did. It had nothing to do with Red John. It might be a good thing they'd have their usual day or two to enjoy before the rest of crew came rolling in. At the moment there were only two or three lonely RV's dotting the landscape on the other side of the field.

Watching Lisbon walk towards him to stand on her toes to give him the requisite good morning kiss, Jane wasn't surprised when she abruptly turned away to reach into the first bag pulling out a carton of milk. Lisbon wasn't the friendliest of creatures when she was preoccupied. He was lucky to have gotten that kiss. Besides, she was probably put out with him for leaving while she was still asleep. She'd certainly known where he was as the market was always their first stop once they'd arrived at their newest destination. Their cupboards were always bare.

"You were gone longer than I expected." Lisbon said as she put the milk in the refrigerator along with a carton of eggs and a bag of shredded cheese.

She'd had time to shower, have a cup of coffee, and mull over their date which she'd enjoyed immensely before turning her thoughts to more unpleasant things. Jane had meant to pull a sneaky in putting that clingy silk dress in swirling shades of red, orange, and gold in the front of her closet. She'd seen right through him and worn the very Ginger dress that suited Amber nicely anyways.

There was nothing about that garment remotely Lisbon from the plunging neckline to the color scheme though Lisbon admitted she'd have looked attractive in it with her darker hair as well. She'd certainly looked pretty as a blonde. The dress was definitely a keeper. As much as she hated admitting it, Jane had good taste. But, that didn't mean she was taking to wearing dresses on a regular basis.

As for the rest of the date, that had gone as close to perfect as it could. Surprisingly, the restaurant had lived up to the billing in being both very French and very discrete. They'd spent their evening in a darkened corner away from the fray ignoring the rest of the diners. The meal was delicious and the companionship better. Jane had been his most charming if a little ribald at times. Not that she'd expected any better and, as she'd had three brothers, she could give as good as she got. She'd even shocked her date a couple of times with her bawdy observations. She might be fairly by the book; but, she wasn't dead and Patrick Jane didn't know everything there was to know about her even if he thought he did.

"I had a couple of extra places to go." Jane said as he continued unpacking a grocery bag loaded with fresh fruit and vegetables.

"Like?" Lisbon bristled he'd not found it important enough to call and let her know he was going to be gone longer than usual. Jane had to know she'd be mildly concerned by his absence. They were in a new place with an unseen adversary lurking in the shadows. Nothing about those circumstances gave her peace of mind.

"Tiny asked me to run by the post office to mail a birthday package to his granddaughter and Sammy asked me to run by a butcher shop. It's their anniversary today so she wanted a crown roast." Jane answered Lisbon's query.

"I guess that explains the flowers." Flowers obviously purchased from a florist and not the corner market as they were much too large and perfect.

"Actually, those are for you." Jane said as he put the fruit and vegetables in the bin.

"Why?" Lisbon asked as she lifted the bouquet of exotically colored blossoms.

"Do I need a reason? Perhaps it's just because you're you." Jane said as he reached into the final bag to remove the large vase he'd bought to hold her bounty. "I think you'll need this."

"Yeah, I think I will. They're beautiful. Thank you." Lisbon carefully filled the vase with water half way before snipping the stems and arranging the stalks of burgundy, yellow, orange, and red sunflowers. Setting her masterpiece on the counter she walked over to wrap her arms around Jane's waist.

"You're very welcome." Jane accepted her kiss.

Though they were comfortable with their evolving relationship, he was slightly concerned with how well Lisbon would handle their relationship once they returned to their normal life. Here, they were among friends whether it was as Amber and Jack or Lisbon and Jane. Once the fantasy ended and they were back at the CBI under the censure of their co-workers and higher ups would be a different matter. For the most part, he thought she'd be okay. Lisbon was a fighter and she wouldn't take their crap lying down any more than he would. They'd weather the storm as they always did though this one would be of an infinitely more personal nature.

Besides, Jane was prepared to hammer the point home that, as a consultant, he didn't fall under the dreaded rules and regulations discouraging intimate interpersonal relationships between team members. Concerns aside, he was pleased Lisbon had accepted the very visible relationship between Amber and Jack was only the manifestation of the more private, but no less real, relationship between Lisbon and Jane. That was a happy development more recent in coming.

"Why don't I start lunch while you unload the last bag?" Lisbon said as she broke their embrace. As neither of them had eaten breakfast, her stomach was rudely growling. She suspected his wanted to do the same.

"Why don't you do this instead? I'll take care of brunch." Jane pressed a box into her hand. "I know the thought has crossed your mind."

"Yeah, it has." The expression on Lisbon's face clearly betrayed that was what she'd spent a large part of the morning pondering.

Or, more likely, pondering exactly how she could best convey her concerns. As if she needed to. If Red John was always a few steps ahead of him, he was always a few steps ahead of her. While he was counting on changing the rules of engagement with the serial killer, Jane never intended doing the same with his lover. It wouldn't do to let her get the upper hand. She'd give him a run for his money if he did.

Staring at the box in her hand, Lisbon admitted she could think of no other reason for some of her symptoms though it shouldn't be as other things were entirely normal. The most telling was while she'd never developed Jake's full blown stomach virus, she was still queasy at times. She couldn't stop the snarky thought, "so much for truth in advertising." They hadn't been careless, not even that first haphazard time.

Amber had even found her way to the shady clinic on the wrong side of town her fellow carneys used to get her trusty pills soon after. A part of her was confident she'd get the expected negative result. The bigger part of her wasn't so sure. She'd not been feeling exactly right lately in ways that shouldn't be. Not right enough that she'd have asked Jane to do exactly what he'd done had she realized he was making a market run while she was asleep. Adding to her unease, the other part of the equation was Patrick Jane which never harbingered the expected as much as she wished otherwise at times.

"Then don't keep either of us waiting. If it's negative, then life goes on as it was. If it's positive, we need to know as soon as possible for everyone's sake." Jane said in a neutral tone not betraying his feelings either way.

Lisbon disappeared into the bathroom only to open the sliding door a few minutes later significantly paler than she'd been when she'd entered.

"Jane, what are we going to do?" Lisbon stared at the clearly legible test in her hand.

"Be happy." Jane said quietly from over her shoulder.

"Are you serious? Every cop in fifty states is looking for us, we're hiding out in the circus, we have a serial killer on our butt complete with his pet stalkers from the pit, and you think now's a fine time to knock me up?" Lisbon sounded far calmer than she felt. "I'm supposed to be happy about what part of that?"

"I'm sure I could have done it before were we being intimate." Jane chose to address the latter part of her rant over the first and got the expected dirty look for his effort.

"Shush, Jane, how could we let this happen?" Lisbon asked.

"Lisbon, I don't think we let anything happen. It's obvious that even very reliable birth control taken obsessively by lady cops can fail or the Jane squiggles are stronger than modern medicine. Take your pick. From my perspective, the how doesn't really matter. Just that it has and I, for one, couldn't be more pleased." Jane continued sprinkling freshly chopped herbs over thinly sliced breakfast steaks.

"Have you lost your mind?" Lisbon asked.

"No, I don't think I have. Let's look at the facts shall we? They're far simpler than you seem to think. First, I'm going to be a father again with the only woman I would ever consider becoming a father with. Added to that, for the moment we're probably safer than we have been for a number of years. Yes, Red John is keeping his finger on the pulse where we're concerned; but, he isn't threatening us. Nor is he allowing anyone else to. How long that will last is anyone's guess. But, for the moment, when you reduce the situation to the basic facts, we should both be happy there's a Baby Jane on the way." Calling their child a Baby Lisbon would imply a state of affairs he didn't intend continuing a second longer than necessary so why bother starting the trend in the first place?

"I'm happy about the baby, Jane, just not with the circumstances." Lisbon corrected him.

"If we were home would the circumstances be any better? Red John would still be out there tracking us and we'd have the additional concern of being separated. Added to that, there would be lots of really nasty talk around the water cooler neither of us wants to hear. Not to mention the tedious lectures from Minelli and LaRoche. As for Gale, I don't want to think about his whining about our latest faux pas being a PR nightmare. It will be much ado about nothing in my opinion. Our child is hardly a scandal for anyone." Jane sniffed derisively as he dropped the steak in the frying pan.

"Do you really believe that?" Lisbon wasn't sure whether to smack him or laugh.

"The truth is most of Sacramento would be happy for us, at least the ones who actually care. That Patrick Jane has started a family with a remarkable woman after his tragic loss, who could find fault with that? That it's the tough little cute as a button pocket rocket boss he's slaved under so many years only makes the story sweeter…their very own Saint Teresa no less." Jane flipped the steak as he warmed up to his subject.

"Oh, there will be the usual negative doubters who'll believe we've been banging like bunnies for years; but, who cares about them? The people who count know the truth. Only Bertram could turn the beauty of creating life into a nightmare. As I've said before, the man is a fool at times. He may also be in cahoots with Red John though the jury's still out on that one.

At least here we're together and there's no need to worry about what's going to happen once you start to show. While I don't recommend broadcasting the truth before we can't hide it any more, this won't be the first baby born in our village. Everyone will rally around to protect you." Jane comforted her.

He wasn't about to point out their stalemate with Red John would change the moment he realized she was carrying his child. That imaginary red target she'd always had in the middle of her forehead because of their relationship had grown when they'd become lovers. They both knew that. Jane didn't even want to think about Red John's response to this latest event. He'd definitely take them moving on with their lives in such a happy way as a blatantly disrespectful smack in the face.

If Lisbon wasn't already number one on his hit list, she was now. He found some solace in knowing Red John wouldn't act for a while. Not until Lisbon was too far advanced in her pregnancy to put up a good fight. He still had a few good months to put a monkey wrench in his plans. But Jane wasn't foolish enough to deny what waited over the horizon. He knew they'd just upped the ante in a very dangerous game.

"I still don't understand how this happened." Lisbon said with genuine puzzlement.

"The normal way I suspect. Not that it really matters. We've certainly been making up for lost time every chance we get. One of those times we were got instead and that's all either of us should care about. It was clearly meant to be or it wouldn't have happened. The next step is getting you to a clinic to get checked out. We need to find out how far along you are and get your vitamins. I'd guess seven to nine weeks." Jane calmly said.

"You aren't surprised by any of this?" Lisbon asked ignoring his willingness to assign numbers he shouldn't know; but, he probably did.

"If I was I wouldn't have bought you those tests." Jane admitted.

"Are you sure you aren't psychic?" Lisbon teased.

"Nope, just a very observant man who's been through all of this before." Jane informed her continuing to deny the abilities they both knew he possessed as he'd always done. In this case his words were entirely true. He was a very observant man and he'd noted the subtle changes in Lisbon's body.

"Then you're going to have to guide me through it." Lisbon said as she refused to look at him.

"I wouldn't have it any other way. What's wrong now?" Jane said as her soft smile edged into a slight frown.

"What if she's a girl?" The thought was obviously weighing heavily on her.

"Surely you don't think that matters? I'll love her just as I loved Charlotte Anne. If "she" turns into a "he", well, while I know you'd prefer a girl, I've already had a daughter. I really want a son though I'll adore either equally." Jane admitted in a tone sharply conveying her fears were unfounded.

"When you put it that way, I'll see what I can do." Lisbon took comfort in his words.

Though he hid it fairly well and his reactions had gotten better with the passage of time, Jane still had his moments with children. Not that he wasn't good with them or didn't like them; but, the memories still hurt. As happy as he'd been for Rigsby, he'd been affected by Benjamin's birth in ways he'd not wanted the rest of them to see. She'd respected his privacy that day. They all had and not thought less of him for it.

Now, she was putting him in a spot neither of them had anticipated. Rather, they'd put themselves there; but, Lisbon admitted she was trepidatious for any number of reasons. Not all of them connected to the general nastiness of Red John. Most were connected to Jane and how well he would handle impending fatherhood.

"Stop with the foolishness, Teresa. The thought had to have crossed your mind if I ever crossed that line into a relationship, the thought of a family was sure to follow. I crossed that line with you and I can assure you I've certainly thought of having a family a good bit since. While I'd have preferred to wait until Red John was out of the picture and I certainly wouldn't have picked now, we weren't given that option. I say we make the best of it and celebrate. You grab the tea and I'll take the plates out to the table. Coffee is definitely off the table now." Jane said as he held the door open with his foot.

"I switched to decaf a while ago." Lisbon said quietly.

"I know." He wouldn't miss something like that.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Lisbon asked.

"I knew you'd say something when you were ready." Jane said as he set their egg, toast, and steak laden plates on the table.

"I was going to this morning before we went to the store but you beat me to it." Lisbon grabbed the red currant jelly.

"Then it sounds like we're on the same page." Jane watched her smearing the red spread over her toast.

"I guess so. You know he's not going to like this and there's no way we can hide it." Lisbon took a bite of toast enjoying the tangy sweetness against her tongue.

"There's nothing we can do about his feelings and I don't want to hide it. Besides, nothing will really change until you start showing enough there's no way to deny it." Exactly how their lives would change he wasn't sure although he had his suspicions given evidence was already disappearing from the CBI.

"What are you thinking?" Lisbon took a bite of steak.

"I'm not sure even Red John can pull it off; but, I suspect we're going to find ourselves back in Sacramento before he's done. I'm just not sure exactly how it will happen." Jane toyed with his eggs not caring for his current train of thought.

"You think he'll blow our cover?" Lisbon wondered if they needed to go ahead and make a run for it.

"Having us arrested would put a serious crimp in his fun. Not to mention it would make it more difficult for him to get to you when he deems the time right." Jane pointed out what he didn't want to contemplate.

"Do you think we should make a run for it? We could go North as you've said we might need to." Lisbon reminded him. "We already have most of what we'll need in storage."

"I don't think that's necessary." Jane honestly didn't think it would do any good. Red John would find them eventually. He always did. "Not yet. We need to sit tight and see how things play out. We're going to need to stay in closer contact with the team. If they start making breakthroughs on your case, I'd say we're going to find ourselves back at the CBI as I'm expecting.

If it goes the other way, we reevaluate our choices. Canada isn't that far away and I think we can make it through the border with the documentation we have." Jane's fork scraped against his plate as he scooped up his last bite of egg.

"Canada? It's cold up there." Lisbon wasn't sure she liked that idea. She'd moved to California all those years ago for a reason.

"It's better than jail." Jane quietly reminded her.

"I guess it is; but, that isn't the way you expect this to play out." Lisbon pushed her empty plate to the side.

"I honestly don't know what I expect. It's Red John we're talking about." Jane didn't like admitting he was mostly clueless as to what the serial killer's next move would be.

Their opponent was more powerful than they'd thought. He'd proven that in framing Lisbon. How powerful was anyone's guess. It wouldn't do to underestimate their opponent. Nor would it do to overestimate his reach. Either assumption could prove deadly. All they could do was sit tight, wait for him to make his next move, and respond appropriately.

"Yeah, it is. So what do we do in the interim?" Lisbon asked as she walked around to sit on Jane's lap.

"We enjoy our secret for as long as we can and we live. I don't see any reason to alter your job description do you? I hardly think Zedekiah and crew offer any real threat to you or our child." Jane was happy they'd settled on the more expensive, sturdy outdoor furniture.

Even if the table and chairs were more of a pain to pack in the bed of the trunk than something more lightweight would have been. Otherwise, he'd have missed out on some prime snuggling moments. He'd discovered since their escape that Lisbon preferred being outside to being cooped up in their trailer. Not that he really blamed her. He wasn't all that fond of small spaces himself, especially prison cells.

"No, they don't, and I like my job description." Lisbon tucked her head under his chin.

"Then there's no reason to change it. I will say I don't want you alone under any circumstances. I don't care what's going on. Give me a call and I'll come get you." Jane's tone was adamant.

"Don't worry. I don't want to be alone. Tall boy was a real creeper." Lisbon was glad they'd left him behind when they'd pulled out. "What about the team, Jane? Shouldn't we let them know about this?"

"They don't even know we're a couple and they don't need to know. It will only complicate things. They'll find out when and if we return to Sacramento just like everyone else. Trust me, Teresa, under the circumstances they'll understand." There was no need to burden the team with TMI they weren't ready to hear.

"What about my brothers? They should know they've got a niece or a nephew on the way." Lisbon was glad there was no one eavesdropping on their conversation. They'd certainly get an ear full.

She'd talked to all three of her brothers once since their change in relationship and Tommy had picked up on the different vibe. From his reaction, he'd not been all that surprised and had given his blessing. It wasn't like they hadn't been in some kind of unusual relationship for a decade. Or that her brother thought his displeasure would have any impact on her choices anyway. Nothing could be further from the truth and they all knew it. Besides, all three of her siblings liked Jane fine as far as they knew him.

"Fine, if you want to tell them, we'll go inside and you can call away." Jane stood up and carried Lisbon inside.

Digging their newest disposable phone from its hiding place, he handed it to her. He should have known Lisbon couldn't keep a secret. She was female and this wasn't the kind of confidence women liked to keep. He should consider himself lucky it was only her brothers she wanted to tell. She could have demanded they tell the team as well.

That one he'd have fought her on as it wasn't a good idea. This one was alright as there wasn't anyone else for her brothers to tell. From what he'd gathered, they weren't very close with their relatives. More importantly, he knew the Lisbon boys were tight lipped about family. He hadn't gotten any more information out of them about their upbringing than he had their sister.

Smiling at the similarities between the siblings, Jane watched her dial the first number knowing it was Tommy without having to look. He didn't need to hear Annie's squeal to know everyone was on speaker phone. From the look on Lisbon's face, all was well with the world. Taking a step outside, Jane closed the door behind him. He didn't need to hear the rest of her conversations.

If the T-man was fine with the Baby Jane, the rest of the brothers would be too since he was the only one who'd ever met him in person. The other two would base their opinions on Tommy's impressions which seemed to be favorable enough at the moment. Not that he'd expected any differently. If he had, he wouldn't have left Lisbon to her own devices. He'd have remained by her side. As it was, Teresa was happily sharing their news and he could move on to other things.

Like figuring out his next move in the never ending game of mental chess he was playing with the monster lurking in middle of his darkest nightmares.


	14. Chapter 14

This story isn't abandoned. I promise. I work retail and my hours have increased dby 10-12 hours a week as they will stay into January so a huge chunk of my free writing time has suddenly disappeared. My goal is to post one chapter a week or so until we're done. Hopefully, Oroborous will be finished before the end of the year or shortly thereafter. Then, I'll turn my attention to the other stories.

I also know we've only been given the names of two of Lisbon's brothers - Thomas (Tommy) and James. I've chosen to give that third unnamed brother the name "Peter" for this story since I hate to leave anyone out. I used that name in Back From the Shadowlands and see no reason to change it for this story. :)

Oh, and thank you for the guest reviews. They are always appreciated.

Happy Thanksgiving if it applies!~ Calla

#

"What are you still doing out here?" Lisbon stood on the bottom step watching Jane stare across the open field, glass in hand.

He'd meandered inside once or twice while she was on the cell with her family. She'd been aware of his presence; but, she'd not paid any attention to what he was doing. Apparently, he'd been fixing himself an after dinner drink which was something he rarely did. That he had now betrayed Jane's unrest more than anything. She'd been too tied up with Annie and her brothers for the better part of an hour to notice his demeanor.

"Celebrating." Jane held up the barely touched snifter of Cognac he'd been savoring for the past half hour. Ignoring it was more like it as he'd been too deep in thought to enjoy his libation. "How are Annabeth and the Lisbon brothers?"

"Annie is excited to finally be getting a cousin from Aunt Reese. She said it's past time and she always knew, if I bothered having a baby, you'd be the father. That kid's too smart for her own good. She sees too much she shouldn't. I told her there was no need to curse me like that." Lisbon said as she wormed her way under his arm to sniff his glass.

"Off limits and you know it so stop sniffing fumes." Jane dropped a kiss on her head as he set his glass aside. "Besides, I hardly think she was cursing you. Any number of women would love to be in your shoes."

"Yeah, like who? Betsy Kenniwick in Narcotics or Bonnie Stevens in I.D. Theft?" Lisbon deliberately picked the two most annoying females at the CBI she knew had full blown Jane crushes.

It didn't matter they were both very attractive women, neither of them possessed a single trait her lover found remotely attractive. In fact, she'd had to threaten Kenniwick on more than one occasional for bordering on sexual harassment over the years. Stevens, on the other hand, was much too simpering to catch Jane's eye so there'd never been much of a threat there. However, Lisbon couldn't deny she'd been known to be territorial when either of those man-eating piranhas was around. It really didn't matter that Jane usually tried to head for the hills when he saw either of them coming. There were those rare occasions when he couldn't escape.

"Honestly, Lisbon, did you have to bring either of those bimbos up? Either one is the stuff nightmares are made of." Jane buried his face in the curve of her neck expecting her squirmy reaction to being touched in that ticklish spot behind her ear. It served her right for mentioning either Kenniwck or Stevens at a time like this. Talk about spoiling the mood.

"I know." She'd done it to make Jane cringe.

"I'm sure you do. That's why you did it." Jane called her on it repressing a shudder at the memory of Kenniwick cornering him a few months ago for a sloppy kiss. He hadn't appreciated that at all and he'd let her know. Somehow, he didn't think his reaction had fazed her. It certainly hadn't damped the woman's ardor for following him about the CBI when she thought he wasn't looking.

"Jane, what's got you so deep in thought?" Lisbon finally asked what she really wanted to know.

"I was pondering how your brothers were taking the news. As I didn't hear any yelling on your part, I assume everything went well." Jane draped his arms lightly around her waist.

"Aside from the shock they were going to be Uncles at all, I suppose it went better than expected. I don't think Tommy or Pete were all that surprised we'd finally gotten together like this. They're excited I'm finally having the kid they never thought I'd have. After the surprise wore off, Jimmy was as sputtering and threatening as usual." Lisbon admitted.

"About what?" Jane asked as he hugged her a little closer.

"What do you think?" Tilting her head, Lisbon glanced at him through her lashes wordlessly conveying he wasn't that dumb. In fact, he wasn't dumb at all. He was actually much too smart. "Typical macho man of the house stuff as usual."

"I see. He wants to know when I'm going to make an honest woman out of you." Jane didn't blame her oldest brother one bit.

He'd be feeling exactly the same if some guy he didn't know had gotten his Big Sis pregnant. If he had one. On second thought, maybe it would be worse if he did. Know the guy that is. And while James Lisbon didn't really know him, he certainly knew of him. All of the brothers did. Jane could only imagine how he was known and what had been said.

"Something like that. I told him it didn't matter as we had more important things to deal with." Like making it through all the months until this baby was born free and unharmed. That was enough to worry about without all the rest. "James wasn't too happy with me for saying that."

"Do you honestly believe what you said?" If she did, she was being far more ridiculous than he'd thought.

"Jane, it's not like we can do anything about the situation if we wanted to." Lisbon pointed out.

"Oh, we definitely want to, Lisbon, do not doubt that and not because of the kid." Jane corrected her. While their current nomadic situation might have been foisted upon them; he was enjoying every second he spent with his feisty partner. He wasn't about to let her go. Not now and not after everything they'd been through. More than their child was going to unite them before he was done. Jane was sure of that. "Unfortunately a marriage license rife with aliases and lies isn't worth the paper it's inked on so we'll have to wait until this whole mess sorts out or we're forced into more desperate measures to do the right thing."

Like finding themselves adopting permanent alias in some far flung destination which wasn't entirely out of the realm of possibilities. The wilds of Canada, Alaska, or Montana held some appeal. South or North Dakota, or even Wyoming, could work just as well. The where didn't matter…only that they were easily assimilated into their new lives and identities. Jane was sure he could pull off setting them up if he had to. He would even give up the chase for Lisbon and his kid. Red John could claim his sick victory as long as his new family remained safe.

"I guess we will." Lisbon agreed.

"In the meantime, you could wear this." Jane pulled the box from his pocket.

"I thought you took that ring back." Lisbon said recognizing the box housing the emerald and diamond wedding band she'd not seen since "Jonathan" had taken it off of "Kimberly's" finger before leaving Scottsdale a lifetime ago.

"Why would I do that when I'd already purchased this?" Jane asked flipping the lid to display the matching engagement ring.

"Are you insane?" Lisbon uttered the first words popping in her head.

"To hear you tell it, maybe. But, that doesn't change the fact I've had both rings for a while before Kimberly and Jonathan ever entered the picture. So, none of this has anything to do with Red John's antics or the fact you're carrying my child." Jane quietly reassured her.

"You are insane." Lisbon repeated.

"Not really. When we survived Lorelei, I knew we could survive anything. I wanted to be prepared when the moment presented itself. It isn't like we haven't had a good decade of wooing." Jane stared at the set in the box imagining how the glittering rings would look on her finger.

He'd had the engagement ring hidden in the zippered pouch of his suitcase when he'd placed the wedding band on her finger so many months ago. He'd later returned both rings to the box once their adventure in Arizona was over. He'd not wanted Lisbon to know of the engagement ring's existence until he was ready to put it on her finger for real.

She would have asked pointed questions he wasn't prepared to answer had she known. She'd have certainly thought him more off than she already did if he'd told her he'd bought both of those rings on a whim soon after being acquitted of the murder of Timothy Carter. While he'd known things weren't as they seemed and Carter couldn't be Red John, a part of him had dared hope he was wrong. That he could finally move on with his life and head in a different direction. As that wasn't yet a possibility, he'd put those rings away for safe keeping only to grab them as he'd headed out the door to rescue Lisbon from her fate. He'd had an inkling they might come in handy somewhere along the way and he'd hoped for an opportunity to pursue that illusive something more they'd not yet taken.

"Hell of a way to woo a girl, Jane, driving her nuts for ten years." Lisbon snarked as she stared at his offering.

"We all have our charms." Jane quipped.

"If that's what you want to call it." Lisbon stared at the box in his hand deciding that was one exquisitely tempting ring.

Unfortunately, a future as Mrs. Patrick Jane came attached with it and they hadn't really discussed such a thing. While they'd certainly taken it for granted their relationship would continue once they returned home, neither of them had wanted to broach the subject of anything more. She honestly had no clue what Jane expected from his wife. She knew from the case file that Angela had been a stay-at-home wife and mother. That wasn't her kind of gig. If that was what Jane expected, they weren't going to get their happily ever after. Kid or no kid.

"I do. Besides, I intended doing it right before I was done. Everyone knows the way to your heart is junk food, tequila shots, and pool cues. The way I see it, a few get-togethers at your favorite dive and I'd have had that ring on your finger in no time flat." Jane knew better but it was fun to rile her up.

The truth was far less complex. Lisbon would have given him a "do what" look before laughing in his face if he'd suggested any such thing. Not the ring on her finger idea as he wouldn't have gone that far. The date part was enough. She'd have thought, initially, that he was toying with her. Once she realized he was serious, Lisbon would have primly reminded him in her best Senior Agent voice that team members weren't allowed to date; and, consultant or not, he was still a member of her team. She'd have then given him a run for his money making it far harder to get closer to her than it had to be. Exactly as she had. He'd have won in the end as he always did; but, that being said, perhaps Red John's antics were a blessing in disguise. Lisbon was certainly more receptive to the more intimate turn in their relationship on the road than she would have been back home in Sacramento.

"You think?" Lisbon's voice held a note of challenge.

"No, I know…eventually." Jane confirmed satisfied when Lisbon looked away subtly signaling he was probably right.

"I'm not leaving the CBI. We'll have to find a nanny like Rigsby and Sarah have." Lisbon dared Jane to contradict her.

"I don't expect you to. While Angela was perfectly content being my wife and Charlotte's mother, that isn't you. You're a cop and I can never change that. Nor do I want to. I helps that I'm right there with you most of the time. Besides, we have to do something to amuse ourselves or we'd both bore out of our minds. " Jane reminded her as he stared down at his fingernails deciding he needed a trim.

"You're okay with the status quo?" Lisbon asked again.

"Yes, Lisbon, I'm perfectly fine with your being a Senior Agent at the CBI as long as you don't take unnecessary risks with yourself or our child." Jane agreed far more reasonably than he felt as he knew that was exactly what Lisbon was going to do.

Take risks that weren't necessary in his eyes if no one else's. She was a dedicated law enforcement officer taking her job seriously and that was what they did. He'd have to make sure he was around to temper her. Since he wasn't going to change, he had no right to expect her to. It was only fair and Lisbon was into fair. He'd always known that about her.

"Then "yes" you can put that on my finger." Lisbon said.

"I'll do that." Jane said as he took her hand and did just that.

"What do you think?" Lisbon asked as she stared at the band encircling her finger.

"That it's strange I can't say three certain words but I can ask you to marry me. There's something off about your thought processes, Lisbon. There really is." Jane pointed out deciding 'Teresa' was far more reasonable. Lisbon was the one with the twisted thoughts coming up with ridiculous ideas like that one.

"Maybe there is." Considering they'd created a life between them, their relationship couldn't get any more real.

"It's irrational and I don't think I'm going to honor such foolishness anymore." Jane continued. "Lisbon, as I've already told you on a prior occasion though I refused to elaborate, I love you. Take it or leave it; but, I've said the words."

"I love you, too." Lisbon wiggled her finger for effect and decided it really was a pretty ring.

Jane watched her turn her hand this way and that as though mesmerized by the play of light on the stones. In one of those rare moments he'd been privileged to witness a time or two. Lisbon was giving in to her girly girl and he liked it. She was clearly pleased with his choice though she'd yet to say it. Jane expected nothing less. He also suspected she'd be on the phone as soon as she was done studying her newest bauble conversing with James and setting the record straight. In fact, he'd urge her to if she didn't.

Watching Jane watching her, Lisbon's thoughts touched back on her brothers. While happy she was happy, having a pregnant Big Sis without a ring on her finger wasn't sitting well with the acknowledged man of the house which didn't sit well with Lisbon. Everyone knew once James started working an angle, he was worse than a dog with a bone. Truthfully, he was almost as bad as a Jane. He'd never let up harassing her. As it was, he was never going to let her live it down that she was careless enough to get knocked up in the first place. While she might be a good, solid Catholic, she wasn't that strict in her observances of some things and her brothers all knew it.

"For the record, you handled that much better than I expected." Suppressing his mirth, Jane simply shook his head.

He'd broken his promise in uttering those three little words and in all but demanding Lisbon marry him. He should consider himself lucky she'd accepted without much of a quibble. The only conclusion he could draw was she'd been waiting for him to grow a set and say the words all along. It seemed his other half was fully capable of playing mind games too. He wasn't sure he liked that. It would make her far more difficult to manipulate in the future.

"I handled it better than I expected to." Lisbon smiled back at him studying her ring. "It's beautiful. It truly is." The ring was more than beautiful. It was perfect. Jane had put a lot of thought into selecting a token making a subtle statement without being ostentatious or something she'd have to worry about damaging in the field. As simple as all of that sounded, she knew it was anything but. He'd spent a lot of time selecting a ring they'd both like and he'd proven how well he knew her in doing so.

"I'm glad you like it." He'd known she would. "We'll do it right when we get back to Sacramento." Jane promised.

"You intend to propose again?" Lisbon asked somewhat startled at his words.

"Yes, Teresa, I do. I don't ask a girl to marry me that often so I'd like to do it as it should be done. This is only the second time I've done so and standing in the middle of the sticks under an RV awning is hardly what I'd call ideal circumstances." Jane's snippy tone made her want to laugh.

"You're telling me you're going to take that ring off my finger and ask all over again?" Lisbon couldn't help herself. She had to laugh. Leave it to Jane to be overly dramatic. One much too forceful proposal and an about as unromantic as it could get "I love you" was enough. It really was. In fact, it was as close to perfect as it could get and so in keeping with their whacked out relationship. She honestly couldn't have asked for anything more. "Do you expect my answer to change?"

"Actually, I'm going to take it off the chain around your neck as I don't think it's wise to advertise any of this yet." Jane corrected her as he rolled his eyes at her impertinence. "And, no, I don't think your answer will change. You're far too honorable to lead a man on like that."

"I think you're probably right about the chain." Lisbon agreed figuring he already had that chain laying about somewhere if she knew Patrick Jane. And she did. Very well, thank you very much. So, no, her answer wasn't going to change.

"I am." Jane said not all that happy Lisbon was amused he didn't consider this proposal adequate.

"So you're going to get all sappy in a fancy restaurant?" Lisbon rose on tiptoes to give him an apologetic kiss.

She could tell Jane was put out with her and she didn't really blame him. She was being irreverent in what should be a serious moment. It wasn't every day a girl got proposed to and she should be more awestruck it was happening in the first place. But, she couldn't help herself. This was Jane and he was so much fun to mess with. Besides, she rarely got such an opportunity for life usually insured she was the one getting played and not the other way around.

"I probably am." Jane agreed already choosing an upscale tavern with white table clothes, red damask walls, and mahogany trim in his mind.

"Why don't you do it at home instead? My acceptance could be far more interesting away from prying eyes. Besides, I think I'd rather have the moment between the three of us." Lisbon said seriously rubbing her flat stomach.

"Consider it done." Jane place his hand over hers enjoying the fact Lisbon already subconsciously considered them a family. They could go to the restaurant after…A long time after if he got his way.

"I'd like that." She patted his hand.

"So would I." Jane promised already anticipating her "far more interesting" acceptance though his thoughts were moving on to other things. "Lisbon, you're going to have to start calling me Patrick at some point soon. Otherwise our son is going to find our relationship strange. While he'll get the Lisbon and Jane when we're working, he needs to know we're just Teresa and Patrick when we're Mom and Dad."

"You may have a point." She'd give him that much.

"I do. All I can say in my defense is you need to get over it. I'm not with Lorelei now. I never was. Besides, any leads she could give me, I gave up for you. That should say everything." Jane clarified in case she hadn't reached that conclusion on her own.

"It does and I'll work on it." Lisbon promised trying his name on for size in her head. While a perfectly acceptable name and, the one she'd campaign for if their child was a boy, Patrick just didn't resonate within her like "Jane" did. Maybe it was because she rarely called him that. Once he'd stopped being "Mr. Jane," he'd become simply Jane. He'd been "Jane" ever since.

"It will take some getting used to at first though I find it easy enough to call you "Teresa" now." Actually, he always had once they'd crossed that fine line separating handler and friend years ago.

"I suppose you do." As reluctant as she was to do so, Lisbon forced herself to break their embrace. "I need to call Jimmie. He can call Tommy and Pete. I'll only be a few minutes."

"Take your time. I'll be here when you return." Reaching for his glass, Jane took a healthy sip of Cognac deciding he needed the fortification as he felt the pleasurable heat blooming through his chest.

"I know you will." Lisbon gave him a kiss licking a drop of Cognac off his lips before stepping inside before Jane could make a smart mouthed remark about what a tease she was.

#

Settling comfortably into the hard curve of Jane's body with his leg between her knees, Lisbon smiled gently recalling their reunion a while ago. She'd returned to Jane's side twenty minutes after talking to all of three of her brothers as well as Annie who was now looking forward to being _the_ bride's maid in her Aunt Reesie's wedding. After reassuring him that James was now solidly in their court as long as they followed through on the promise, she'd surrendered to the kiss clearly conveying Jane didn't give a tinker's damn if her brothers were mollified or not. He had more pleasurable pursuits on his mind. Weak-kneed, she'd not protested when he'd swept her into his arms. Knowing Smokey Joe was peering out his window across the way at them knowing exactly what was going on, and given his dirty mind, probably imagining it as well, she'd not been able to find it in herself to care.

Not once Jane had laid her on that bed and begun a seduction rivaling their first night together. She'd not cared who or what was watching as long as he'd not stopped the magic he was working with his mouth and hands…Leaning over to kiss his closed eyelids, Lisbon decided if the very thorough worshipping of body and soul she'd just received at her lover's hands was any indication of his feelings, Jane was a very happy man. It went without saying that she was equally ecstatic though obviously more surprised by her condition than her lover was. Maybe she shouldn't be.

In spite of their earlier ridiculous banter about Jane squiggles, the truth was probably more prosaic. The pill she'd been given wasn't her usual kind. Odds were, though she'd followed the instructions, she'd either screwed up with something along the way, or her fail safe had simply not worked as it should. It was known to happen and it wasn't like they hadn't done everything in their power to see that it did. What was done was done.

Of more concern was what they were going to do now. Though Jane had gone out of his way not to mar the moment with truth, she wasn't a fool. It wasn't going to take her showing for Red John to figure out she was with child. The way they were being followed, their first trip to the clinic for confirmation of what they already knew would blow it all. But, neither of them was willing to risk the well-being of the precious life within her to keep their secret. They'd rather deal with the consequences of not doing so. Their opponent wasn't going to be pleased by this latest turn of events. So what? He was going to act and react as he always did. All she could do was trust that he would be stopped before any real damage was done. They didn't have a choice.

"Red John doesn't belong here between us right now." Jane gently reprimanded her as he rolled on his back dragging Lisbon with him.

"I guess he doesn't." Lisbon agreed as she decided half splayed across her lover was her favorite place to be as she found his heartbeat and the hard muscle beneath her softer form comforting.

"Trust me, he doesn't." Closing his eyes, Jane absently rubbed her back imagining the not too distant future when she'd not fit so flush against his skin.

"What was it like the first time?" Lisbon hesitated not sure she really wanted to ask what she wanted to know.

"What was what like?" Jane asked acting as though he didn't know what she was asking. He was curious to discover if Lisbon had the nerve to vocalize what she wanted to know point blank.

"Finding out Angela was pregnant with Charlotte Anne." Going for broke was the only way she could get any answers.

"Nothing like this I can assure you." Jane responded as he gathered his thoughts mildly surprised she'd pushed past his evasion. "We weren't in hiding from the cops and a serial killer."

"I'm sure it wasn't and I know you weren't." Lisbon waited patiently not sure what would follow.

While Jane had shared pieces of his life over the months they'd been together through amusing anecdotes, he'd not shared as much that was relevant about his wife and daughter as she'd have liked. He still kept his memories locked away deep inside.

"For one thing, it wasn't a total surprise. We'd recently bought the house in Malibu at a steal with the thought of starting a family in mind. Angela was ready and I was in a whatever made her happy mode. We were comfortable by anyone's standards. My talents were highly sought in all the right circles so we had stability and a steady income that wasn't drying up any time soon. Besides, we'd always been good at living below our means so we had a substantial nest egg if the need arose." Eyes still closed, Jane reached down to pull the covers over both of them. Lisbon had begun to shiver and that wouldn't do. She needed to be comfortable.

"I came home from a long day of fleecing to find classical music playing softly in the background and Angela busily at work in the kitchen. It was 6:30 on the third Wednesday in May around the twenty-third I think." Lisbon hated the way he did that. If she verified the date, she had no doubt it would have indeed been the twenty third. No one should be able to recall such details sixteen or seventeen years later. It wasn't natural. It was, well, it was downright creepy was what it was. Yes, she used that word a lot in her head; but, it suited certain Janeisms. Things she found more unsettling than dangerous. "I knew something was up by my wife's attitude. Exactly what, I wasn't sure. The fancy crown roast should have tipped me off we were celebrating something big. It didn't. I'm afraid my mind was more on my next day's client list than procreation although we had been discussing that probability for a while. Angela was more excited by the prospect of becoming a parent than I was at the time." Jane saw no reason to lie as his wife and daughter were long gone. "We went for a walk on the beach after dinner. Angela was beside herself sharing the happy news we were about six weeks along. She'd gotten confirmation earlier in the day and she couldn't wait to be a mother. Me, I was more concerned with the financial aspects of providing for my expanding family and where I could find new clients than I was with sharing the gestation of my progeny." Jane knew how that sounded; but, he'd never lied to Lisbon about the man he was. Or the man he'd been. "That all changed when Charlotte made her presence known. My thought processes flipped on a dime. I was suddenly more concerned with being a good father quickly deciding the rest would take care of itself. My client list was healthy and growing every month so I had nothing to worry about there. However, impending fatherhood was a different matter.

I can't tell you I felt anything like I feel now at the start. I'd never done this before and I didn't know what I was missing. Besides, there were so many other distractions taking my attention from my wife and developing child.

I knew Angela was pregnant. She'd told me and she had no reason to lie as our marriage was good. But, there was nothing tangible to see or feel so none of it seemed real. Not in the beginning. I found it hard to believe any of it was true for a while.

Now, it's different. I don't have to see our child to feel the connection. I simply know he's here." Lisbon knew Jane would be rubbing her lower belly if he could get to it. Unfortunately, she wasn't about to flip over to give him access. She was much too warm and comfy right where she was snuffling against his neck listening to her lover talk. He'd have to be content to keep stroking her side and back.

"It was different a few weeks later when Angela's body began to change and there were visible signs of her condition. When my daughter finally kicked the first time, I was done. I didn't think I could be more in love….

I was wrong." Pulling back, Jane gave Lisbon a poignant look that was more than she could handle.

If she'd ever wondered why this man had given up everything to rescue her and she had, over and over again, the truth was in his eyes. Her loss would destroy him. _Her_ loss. And it had little to do with the miniscule part of both of them so recently added to the mix. It had everything to do with she'd become the unwavering constant in his life. Everything Angela had been and more. Lisbon wasn't arrogant enough to think she was a better woman than his beloved wife had been. The "more" was because of her. Had Jane never lost his first love, the "more" would never have come into being and they wouldn't be lying in each other's arms. He wouldn't even know she existed, much less have fathered a child with her, as he'd still be with Angela and Charlotte Anne. Where, in an ideal world, he should still probably be. Lisbon refused to think about that or feel guilty over his loss. Jane was with her now due to circumstances beyond her control and she was glad of it.

Lisbon answered him with a kiss and a look of her own conveying she couldn't speak around the lump in her throat if she wanted to. She was every bit as moved and overwhelmed as he was. Settling back into her warm nook, she felt Jane pull her a little closer.

"As much as I loved my daughter, I didn't have the life experience to feel what I'm feeling now. I'd never known the kind of loss making a man appreciate what he has in the first moments he learns he has it." Jane admitted a truth he'd spent years attempting to deny.

As much as he'd loved his family, he'd taken a lot for granted. If he hadn't, he'd have quite the business as Angela wanted him to. He could have certainly afforded to retire without seriously affecting their lifestyle for many years to come. That being said, he'd not been willing to give up the thrill of the chase or the high of winning the game.

"Did you want a son?" Feeling the sorrow rolling off of him in waves, Lisbon turned the conversation to a lighter topic. It really didn't matter what Jane had thought he wanted, he'd adored his daughter as only a father could. She could hear it in his voice.

"Every man wants a son; but, as I already knew we were having a girl, I wasn't disappointed. I wanted my daughter very much if that's what you're asking. Any man who feels differently about his child is a fool. Besides, as Angela and I were young and healthy, I knew we'd have that son eventually. If we didn't, I was happy with Charlotte Anne. She was more than a handful in the best possible ways. My daughter was everything good from both of us with just enough of the bad from me to keep her interesting." His little girl had definitely been a "Why is the sky blue?" kind of child and into everything.

Jane could only hope his son was half as amusing. He'd drive Lisbon out of her mind and that would be a sight to behold. He could already hear the "Patrick, go to your father!" ringing in his head. Jane smiled at the thought he'd take his boy under his wing teaching him all of his favorite ways to keep his mother riled. He knew as well that his son would end up being "Patrick" although he was fighting that tooth and nail. His son deserved his own identity separate from the man whose untamed tongue had cost his first family everything. Lisbon wouldn't see it that way; but, he did and that was all that mattered.

"What about this one?" Rolling on her back, Lisbon shoved the covers down and rubbed her stomach. Between Jane and that blanket, she was getting much too hot.

"I'd say you'd best get ready, My Dear, as this one is all Jane with a Lisbon temper." Shoving her hand aside, Jane took up the rubbing of little circles against her skin.

"Great. So you're saying he's going run me ragged misbehaving then pout when he gets caught." Somehow, she could already see just that in the window of her mind.

"Something like that. As you've gotten quite good at reading me, I'm sure you'll foil most of the Baby Jane's attempts until he's of an age to deal with the consequences." Jane comforted her.

"I have, haven't I? Are you trying to tell me you were the trial run for the real deal?" Lisbon asked not sure she liked the sound of that.

"I'd say so." Jane agreed knowing she wasn't enjoying that thought.

"Hell of a trial run." As if she needed one.

She'd all but raised three rowdy brothers thanks to her father's downhill slide. Surely Jane knew that. He'd gleaned bits and pieces of her life from the things she'd inadvertently let slip over the years.

"But you've passed with flying colors." Jane reminded her.

"I've survived." Lisbon shifted her position. "Tell me about the day Charlotte Anne was born."

"Okay." Jane closed his eyes as though traveling back to that day in his memories. "I wish I could tell you it was an exciting birth. I can't. The only real excitement was that Charlotte was born at all. Other than that, I came home from my last reading to have Angela meet me at the door with her suitcase in hand. I drove her to the hospital where we spent the next few hours in one of those pretty birthing rooms. I wasn't even sure how long we were there at the time. Almost eight hours from what my wife later told me.

There was a moderate amount of pain, a few choice words, and a lot sweating before Charlotte finally entered the world amidst a rush of fluids and goo I'd rather not have seen. But, other than the fact I think that's the only time I ever saw Angela anything less than the perfect lady, it was a typical birth. After a short meeting of parents and child, the nurse swept my daughter away to clean her up and give her the once over only to return her to us a few minutes later wearing a tiny pink cap and little else.

I wish I could tell you Charlotte was a beautiful baby from the start. I can't. She was as red and squished face as any other newborn for a while as our son will be. She resembled nothing so much as a juicy, drowned rat in those first few moments. Not a totally drowned rat as she was quite noisy…just very wet. Fortunately, she didn't stay that way." Once the bruising and swelling had abated, he'd decided his daughter was going to favor her lovely mother. He'd not been wrong as she'd eventually proven a beautiful baby.

"Jane, you'll keep those kinds of comments to yourself if you know what's good for you. All babies are beautiful. They aren't squished face and they don't resemble drowned rats." Lisbon corrected him not caring at all that the "drowned rat" comment was just a figure of speech. She'd kill him if he uttered any such thing aloud as she was sure Angela would have had he been that foolish the first time around.

"Wait and see. Charlotte wasn't a tiny baby as I'm sure our son won't be and Angela was a taller woman than you." In truth, she'd not been that much shorter than he. "Definitely squished face." Jane proclaimed.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon decided she wasn't going to think about the getting out of what they'd had so much fun putting in. Jane wasn't that big a man when compared to Rigsby. Then again, nobody around her was, and Sarah had gotten by just fine.

"Teresa, I fully expect this time to be different. It already is.

Angela and I were a good team in the early days. She was a talented classical pianist with a love of the arts and music. She moved easily in elitist circles where her beauty and charm opened doors that would have been closed to me alone. Once she got inside, my wife was very good at cultivating moneyed contacts and leaving the rest to me. It didn't take long to build a very solid client base.

Once that was done, Angela retired. She spent her time with her friends and her charities while I spent my time getting well compensated for doing what I do best. It was a good life for both of us. I enjoyed the game while my wife enjoyed moving comfortably in more elite circles though we were nowhere near as wealthy as most of my clients. None of that was important as I had other things they craved far more than material wealth." Jane lost himself in thought. "Or they thought I did."

Snapping out of it, Jane dropped a kiss on her head before continuing.

"You're far more comfortable tossing back a shot of Tequila at the office than you are with sipping champagne at formal occasions. Truthfully, you wouldn't have been much help in the early days; but, times have changed. My tastes have changed. I have to say we're a good team, too. There's something to be said for feisty lady cops who get a charge out of roughing up the bad guys. While a totally different animal from my genteel wife, you're no less appealing in your own unique way so I'd say you're definitely a keeper. Sexy, too." If anyone had told him he'd find the cop who'd told him he had a homeless vibe soon after they'd met incredibly arousing one day, he'd have told them to go screw themselves. It wasn't going to happen and they were totally nuts.

Everything about Teresa Lisbon was _wrong_. She was too dark, too petite, too forceful, too blunt, too nosey, too slight, too tomboyish, and the list went on. She also became too compassionate, too gullible, and too willing to believe in him when she shouldn't have over time. He'd totally fallen for Saint Teresa with her infinitely forgiving spirit and her perseverance in the face of the losing battle known as Patrick Jane when he'd not even known he was falling. If he had any doubts, which he hadn't, they'd been clarified when he'd walked in on the awkward woman in the juvenile pink bride's maid's gown and found her the most captivating sight he'd ever seen. Lisbon was anything but beautiful in that put upon, pouty moment; but, he'd found her arrestingly so. Lovely beyond compare and the realization had stopped him in his tracks. Then she'd gotten shot and he'd thought he'd lost her. That had been one of the more traumatic days of his life for more reasons than one. It could have taken a much darker turn which it mercifully hadn't. All of that had been followed by the Vegas-Lorelei debacle through which Lisbon had never truly left him though she'd certainly waivered with just cause.

"You think so, huh?" Lisbon noticed Jane was losing himself in his thoughts.

"Yeah, I think so." Jane pulled her close.

"You're a keeper, too." She wouldn't be where she was in the condition she was in if he wasn't.

"That's nice to know." Taking her face in both his hands, Jane dropped his lips to hers. "Teresa, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I told you a long time ago that I'll always have your back and I always have. Even when it's looked like I haven't. You know that's true so you've got to let go of the last of those trust issues. It's going to take both of us to get out of this intact."

"Yes, it is." Lisbon agreed knowing he was right although she was more interested in those teasing kisses he was giving her in the midst of more serious conversation. His words were saying one thing and his lips another. She was more interested in what his kisses had to say.

"Cho called me a couple of days ago. Red John is getting tired of all of this." Jane motioned around their bedroom in a manner encompassing the entire carnival. "He's been hacking into a particular case file and altering the contents."

"Mine." Lisbon said giving Jane a dirty look for bringing up business when she was heating up.

"Yours." Jane confirmed. "Further complicating the matter, the original files have disappeared from both the CBI and the D.A.'s office."

"He's getting ready to make his move." Lisbon said quietly.

"He's contemplating it and getting the pieces into place if that's the way he decides to go. Never forget those files can reappear both in the computer system and in hard copy as fast as they disappeared just as the evidence can if Red John decides that isn't the way he wants to go." Jane said lest she forget exactly who they were dealing with.

"He's toying with us and we still don't know what he's going to do." Lisbon resisted the urge to cuss.

"No, we don't. This will force his hand." Jane rested his hand against her belly. "I still don't think he'll act until you start to show. To his way of thinking that'll be the point when everything becomes real to us. He's wrong; but, the extra time will give us time to plan for any number of eventualities. Depending on Red John's actions, our lives could suddenly go in any of several directions."

"While I agree, I really don't want to talk about Red John anymore. As you've already said, he doesn't belong here between us right now. We're celebrating and I'd like to keep it that way. We can deal with all that unpleasantness tomorrow." Lisbon turned her head to give him an encouraging kiss.

"I think you're right. There's really nothing we can do until he makes his next move so why bother tossing out theories? I can think of so many better things to do with our time." Deciding he liked the way Lisbon's mind was working much better, Jane flipped on his side to run his fingers lightly over her hip.

"So can I. Like grabbing snacks since your kid is hungry." Lisbon laughed as she rolled out of bed leaving a frustrated Jane in her wake. It served him right for bringing up business in the midst of passionately teasing kisses.

As for Jane, he was left with no option but to follow. He knew better than getting between Lisbon and a growling belly if he wanted any hope of picking up where they'd left off. The woman was as bad as Rigsby at the most inopportune moments. Perhaps he could coax her into having their snacks in bed. He was sure he could take it from there and insure things got far more interesting than leftover jalapeno cheddar poppers and chicken bites before he was done….


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: For the ebil plunny who looks so cute checking her furry wrist watch and stomping her impatient little foot!

It looks like it's going to be more like a chapter every two weeks the way I'm working 8-10 hour days six days straight before getting a day off.

The next chapter should be up by next Wednesday or Thursday at the latest. The chapter after that will be up a few days later as it's they are both mostly written.

After that, we'll have to see. It will probably be at least two weeks due to work. The story hasn't been abandoned - just slowed down due to working retail this lovely time of the year. ~Calla

#

"Here, if you're going to insist on hovering, you can hold Punkin until I get her cage ready." Lisbon plopped the large ginger rabbit into Jane's waiting arms ignoring his dubious expression. "Keep your fingers out of her mouth and you don't have to worry about getting bitten."

Turning back around, Lisbon continued changing the water in the cages and refilling feed bowls. Jake took care of the less pleasant aspects of cleaning up after their charges as he'd always done while she continued bathing, feeding, and exercising their miniature zoo as she'd always done. Unfortunately, she was doing it more and more under Jane's watchful eye which was fast growing old. She'd decided a few hours ago that if he was going to be constantly under foot, he could make himself useful instead of just standing around watching. She didn't like that anymore than she liked being watched while she was sleeping.

In the weeks since they'd discovered her pregnancy, he'd gotten progressively more attentive and distracting with the passing of time. Jane couldn't leave well enough alone. He had to put the Jane spin on it which usually meant he got on her last nerve somewhere along the way. What else was new? He'd always done that. He'd just gotten better at it since they were constantly together. She didn't even have the luxury of refusing to answer her apartment door as she'd done on those rare occasions she'd not wanted to see him when he'd unexpectedly shown up on her doorstep over the years.

Since they'd not told anyone of her condition, Lisbon was clueless how he was explaining his increasingly more frequent, longer disappearances to Johan and crew. Frankly, as she intended putting a stop to all the unnecessary togetherness soon, she didn't care. Jane was getting under her skin. If he kept it up, she was going to camp out on Sammy and Pete's couch.

She had an open invite. It seemed they knew her lover much too well and Sammy was aware she was getting mildly stressed. While Jane would eventually get used to sleeping alone, she didn't think either of them would like that state of affairs very much. However, she was woman enough to do what had to be done to preserve her sanity and her other half knew it. Or he better learn that truth fast.

She'd thought everything was fine once they'd made it to Arkansas and the initial excitement had calmed down. It seemed she was wrong. Jane had to remember she was still the same Lisbon she'd always been. It didn't matter she was going by another name at the moment. The woman inside was still the same. And that woman fought her own battles as she'd always done. She might be pregnant; but, she was still fiercely independent and capable of taking care of herself though she was willing to make reasonable concessions late at night.

Jane, however, was anyone but his usual, disappearing on a whim self. He'd turned into some kind of overprotective crazy materializing out of the ether when she least expected him to shadow her every move. His antics were growing old fast. Settling Punkin comfortably back in her cage, Lisbon shot Jane a glare that he was clearly reading right from his sheepish smile.

"Mister, you are driving me nuts." Lisbon said as she removed another rabbit from its cage and plopped it in Jane's arms.

"That may be; but, you're going to have to get used to my presence. As our secret is out, you have a new assistant as per Johan, Pete, and the boys." Jane smirked at Lisbon's outraged expression that "the boys" were deciding her life without consulting her. He also knew she was figuring if she ignored his words all of this would just go away.

"What do you mean our secret's out?" Lisbon asked not really wanting to know.

"You now officially have the tell-tale lower belly bulge signaling impending motherhood. I told you before that carnies were astute people and you aren't the first mom-to-be in our midst. You're far from it." Jane sniffed the black bunny in his arms. She smelled pleasingly of whatever light herbal scent in the pet shampoo Lisbon used.

"I do not." Lisbon took Mindy from Jane's arms and set her back in her cage.

"You most certainly do. You couldn't get your largest pair of jeans to fasten this morning though you're hiding the fact you're using one of my belts under an oversized sweat shirt to compensate." Jane called her on her lie.

"What of it?" Lisbon asked as she opened the next cage and took a small brown fur ball in her arms. "This is Peeps. He tends to piddle when you startle him so I'd hold him out if I were you or be very gentle if you don't."

"You can't be serious." Jane stared dubiously at the long eared rabbit.

"I am. Here, take him. He doesn't bite though I may." Lisbon made sure Jane had a secure hold on her favorite adolescent before letting go.

Peeps had yet to join the petting zoo as he was still too young and skittish though he'd come a long way since she'd started taking care of him. He'd make a fine addition down the road. His temperament was gentle and friendly. It didn't hurt he liked being petted and rubbed as well. If they could just get him over that last little hurdle or two, he'd be ready to join the rest.

"I'll take your word for it. Once we finish here, we'll go into town and do some shopping. I think it's time as we can't have you wandering around wearing pants you might lose at any moment." Jane said as he petted Peeps hoping the while he wasn't startling him.

"Shush, Jane. I don't even know if I'm ready for maternity clothes yet." Lisbon said as she poured fresh water in Peep's bowl.

"You aren't and I certainly don't expect you to buy anything you don't want. There's no reason to jump the gun unless you want to be prepared for the inevitable which may happen faster than either of us expects from here on out." Jane tucked Peeps back in his cage and shut the door not at all surprised when the fur ball hopped over to snuffle his feed dish. He was a comfortably plump little bugger.

"Good." Lisbon said as she opened yet another cage in the familiar routine she did every day. This time it was a pygmy goat bounding into her arms…a rambunctious Jedediah to be exact. "What do you mean I have a new assistant now?" Lisbon finally asked deciding ignoring his earlier remarks hadn't had the desired affect of making them go away and she might as well let him repeat the words she didn't really want to acknowledge.

"Me." Jane said the one word she dreaded hearing as he took the wriggling bundle from her arms.

"What about your responsibilities?" She asked as she accepted the usual little goat lick on the nose.

"Johan doesn't need me any more. We picked up three of our old hands in Nebraska so I won't be missed. Besides, it was Johan who gave me the boot and Pete who said I better not take my eyes off of you. It's in my best interest to keep you safe." Jane repeated the gist of an earlier conversation he'd yet to share with her. "Red John will be the least of my worries if I don't. You've gotten very popular with the boys around here in a relatively short period of time." Not that he'd expected anything different.

Lisbon was quite lovable most of the time. It didn't hurt that she was also easy on the eyes, liked sports, and could whip tail across a poker table. She also cussed like a sailor when the mood struck and held her liquor well on the rare occasions she imbibed. Just the kind of gal the guys all liked.

"Yeah, right, it's because I keep you on a short leash." Lisbon snorted out loud thinking about how much mischief Jane hadn't been allowed to get into on her watch much to everyone's relief. She winced at the thought that hadn't prevented them from getting into a different kind of trouble on their own.

"That may be part of it." Jane humored her knowing full well that wasn't true.

Lisbon was Lisbon and it was hard not to care for her. Added to that, being the petite little tomboy she was, she naturally held her own with the boys. She could talk sports with the best of them and shot a mean game of pool as well. The hell of it was she didn't even have to cheat. The woman was that good and she didn't apologize for it.

"It is." Lisbon snorted again.

"But it certainly isn't all of it." Jane corrected her. "You're family now. There isn't a person here who wouldn't go to the mat for you and that's something you've done on your own. It probably doesn't hurt you're always taking the guys sandwiches and chips and pitchers of iced tea not to mention the homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert."

"Don't forget the lemonade and the occasional late night beer." Lisbon reminded him teasingly. "I had three brothers. You think I don't know the way to keep the peace is through your bellies? It's not like it was all that much trouble to make a few sandwiches and put some cookie dough on a baking sheet."

"Those cookies weren't homemade?" Jane's tone was betrayed.

"Stuff it, Jane. You helped me take the little squares from the package so you know those cookies were about as homemade as sticking them on the pan and slipping them in the oven…Since we're mostly done here, as soon as we're finished I'm going to grab a quick shower before we go. And no, you aren't invited. I'm a little put out with all of the males around here at the moment; but mainly you." And she was more than a little queasy all of a sudden.

Morning sickness had kicked in with a vengeance a few days ago. To make matters worse, she never knew when, or where, it was going to hit. The whole unpleasant mess was enough to make her want to smack Jane. From the look on his face he knew what she was thinking. That he should be suffering such indignities, not her. Indignities she had a feeling had only just begun.

"Lisbon, go inside. I'll take care of the rest and join you in a few minutes." Jane gave her the permission she needed to leave.

"There's only Zedekiah and Daisy left to take care of." Lisbon reminded him.

"I know and I won't forget her apple. That's what I'm here for…to pick up the slack when you need me. Now go." Jane watched her retreating back heading for the trailer as he opened Zedekiah's cage to an armful of goat.

Fortunately, their cages were large and they spent most of day romping in a pen or Lisbon's pets would be more of a handful than they already were. He admired her patience. Eventually putting Zedekiah back in his cage, Jane decided he should be finished with Daisy about the time he needed to pick up the pieces at home.

Lisbon wasn't coping well with this latest rather nasty development. Not that he blamed her. Angela's bouts with morning sickness had been few and far between and of a more ladylike nature. If things were worse than he'd thought, he'd never noticed and Angela had never corrected his assumptions. Then again, very little had rattled his wife's cage with the exception of him and she'd had ways of dealing with that. They'd been very nicely matched. She'd loved him in spite of himself; but, she'd never let him get away with anything either. He'd been as fortunate the first time around as he was this second.

Filling Daisy's water pail, Jane gave her an apple and rubbed her head. For all her testy temperament, the elephant adored Lisbon and she tolerated him rather well. Checking her tether one last time and giving the pachyderm a final Red Delicious, Jane ambled back towards the familiar RV. Walking inside and locking the door, he turned the burner on beneath the kettle and took two cups from the cabinet. Rummaging through the pantry he selected two separate containers of tea and prepared the leaves. Adding the steaming water, he steeped the tea before carrying the cups over to the coffee table and walking back to stand in the hall.

Having not heard any unpleasant sounds since he'd entered their home, there was no reason to offer his assistance as he usually did. He'd missed the main show so there was nothing to do but wait for Lisbon to clean up and decide she was ready to join him. As if on cue, Lisbon opened the door and walked into his waiting arms for a few minutes of consoling back rubbing and tender kisses. As much as Lisbon still hated these moments of open vulnerability, Jane treasured every one of them.

"You okay?" He asked as he escorted her over to the couch noting by her slightly damp hair that she'd managed to squeeze a quick shower in there somewhere between entering the trailer and getting sick.

"I'm fine now." Lisbon took her place beside him and accepted the cup of tea.

"I made your tea." Jane said unnecessarily watching her take a wary sip. While undeniably an acquired taste, the herbal tea worked wonders at calming her tumultuous tummy.

"I can see that and it's still as vile as ever." Lisbon overdramatized wanting Jane to know exactly what she was going through for him and their son. The tea really wasn't that bad. It tasted of woodsy herbs and peppermint.

"You'll feel better in a few minutes." Jane said as he took a sip of his Earl Grey.

"I already do." Lisbon snuggled into his lap with her head under his chin careful not to bump his cup as she wasn't in the mood for a hot tea bath. "Give me a few minutes to finish this and I'll get dressed."

"Take your time. We have the rest of the day." Jane didn't really want to be out after dark as it had already been proven bad things happened then.

"Sounds like a plan." Closing her eyes, Lisbon decided a quick cat nap might be nice as she felt Jane's arm anchoring her securely against him.

As for Jane, he couldn't help being amused Lisbon was already exhibiting classic symptoms of being pregnant and the naps she'd deny ever taking were only going to get more frequent. Deciding he might as well join her, he settled a little more comfortably on the couch ignoring Lisbon's mumbled protests at being shifted, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

######

Lisbon felt Jane's hand resting against her hip as they walked through the double doors of the department store. As put out as she'd been that he'd noticed her well hidden secret, she was glad he'd called her on it. She'd not wanted to tell Jane they needed to go shopping yet again. She really didn't need more clothes or she wouldn't if she wasn't slowly outgrowing what she had due to circumstances beyond her control. Jane didn't seem to mind; but, she did. She was used to taking care of herself and everyone around her. Not so much the being taken care of.

"Why don't you try these and the next size up and see what you think?" Jane handed her a couple of pairs of jeans with the fancy pockets so in keeping with Amber's persona.

"I just might do that. What do you think about these?" Lisbon held up a light weight long sleeved tunic sweater that was long enough to allow for her growing belly. "I need to pick up a few long sleeved tees to work in as well."

"I'd say get several of the sweaters in colors you like and the tees are over there." Jane gestured in the direction of a shelf on the wall. "While you're trying on things, I'm going to be in that section taking a look around."

"I'll be here when you're done." Lisbon said as she grabbed a few brightly colored tee shirts not paying attention to much more than the general direction Jane was gesturing in.

She was more interested in finding the clothes she needed, trying them on, and getting out of here. For one thing, she didn't enjoy walking around with her pants creatively fastened beneath a too tight tunic blouse. For another, Jane was looking particularly scrumptious in slacks and a light weight crew neck sweater. She could think of better things to do on a pleasantly cool afternoon than wandering through department stores in search of clothes the buttons wouldn't pop off of the first time she wore them.

Watching Lisbon disappear in the dressing room, Jane meandered over to a table to sift through the cashmere sweaters. Deciding he liked the weight and the colors, he picked up a black tunic with a modest beaded v-neck and long sleeves before adding another in a vibrant orangish-red to his bag. Looking up to see if Lisbon was waiting, he added a plain boat necked eggplant cashmere tunic to the soft blue one he'd just added to his growing stack. As an afterthought, he added a couple more sweaters with jeweled necklines in a rich gold and a deep hunter green to his bounty. Lisbon would protest if she knew what he was doing; but, she'd appreciate the softness against her skin later. Seeing her emerge from the dressing room, he walked across the aisle to join her quickly adding the jeans and tees in her arms to the bag before she had a chance to see the purchases he'd added.

"I'm all done here." Lisbon said not all that pleased with what she'd discovered.

She could make it with the size she was wearing now and probably the next size up; but, after that, she'd definitely need maternity clothes. Reading her expression, Jane bit his tongue to keep from pointing out he'd already told her that. There were subtler ways to make his point that wouldn't keep him from getting laid in the future.

"Then we should take a look over there." Jane motioned towards a pad clearly labeled "Maternity."

"Do we have to?" Lisbon wasn't yet ready to confront that reality.

"I think we should. At least, you'll get some idea of what you might like in the future. It won't cost us anything but a little time if you don't find anything you like. Time is something we have plenty of at the moment." Jane urged her quietly.

"Then let's get this over with." She said clearly cooperating to make Jane happy.

Lisbon walked through the maternity section gazing at the wide range of clothing from the practical to the cutesy to the comfortable and found she was unable to comprehend wearing any of it. She couldn't see herself in anything but the practical suits and blouses she'd always worn or the flashier jeans and tops Amber sported. Or the plain tees and jeans she wore to take care of the animals. Most of this other stuff with the stretchy waistbands and different lines were more than she could get her mind around.

"I can't see it, Jack." Lisbon started slightly at the natural feel of the name tripping off her lips. She's grown far too comfortable with her dual life over the last few months. Comfortable enough she no longer saw the stranger in the mirror. She only saw herself.

"It's because you aren't going to need any of that for a while. Between morning sickness and your natural inclination towards slenderness, you'll probably gain most of your weight nearer the end rather than the beginning and you won't gain that much. You're too disciplined to indiscriminately pack on the pounds because you suddenly can. It wouldn't be healthy for the baby or you. Besides, a part of you is hoping we're home before you need any of this." Jane gestured to the racks around him.

"I guess I am. It isn't that I'm not home here…." Lisbon apologized.

"It's that you want your family and the guys around when the little one comes. I feel the same way." Jane agreed.

"Yeah, I do. Here, this isn't half bad." Lisbon held out a cranberry red dress tee for Jane to add to their bag.

"It looks exactly like what you wear every day." Jane commented though he thought the color would look very nice on her.

"That's why it's not half bad. I guess I should buy a couple of pairs of these." Lisbon picked up a pair of designer jeans and balked at the couple of hundred dollar price tag.

"Hand them to me, Amber. Get the pair beside them with the rhinestone pockets. They won't break the bank and we aren't going anywhere else. You're already getting tired." Lisbon was hardly tired and they both knew it.

It was more that neither of them was willing to risk shopping multiple stores. The less they were in the public eye, the less opportunity of an off chance someone would recognize either of them. It was even less likely considering Lisbon hadn't been pregnant when that BOLO was issued. But, then again, who wanted to tempt fate there might be someone out there thinking she'd use such a thing as part of her disguise. It had certainly been done before. Besides, Jane knew better than underestimating one's opponents as people had a sneaky habit of being smarter than anticipated. He'd run into that a time or two along the way.

"I'll take these." Lisbon handed him a couple of pairs of black dress slacks and a couple of jackets knowing Jane was right. The time was fast approaching when she wasn't going to find wearing her regular pants all that comfortable and she was pretty confident she'd be able to wear what she was buying for a good while to come. Her tummy might get a little bigger; but, the rest of her probably wouldn't. She was much too active.

"You might as well add a couple of these." Jane held up a white button front blouse along with two more in shades of teal and green. He wasn't surprised when Lisbon added a fourth in a pretty shade of purple that wasn't too dark or too light. "I also think Amber would like these."

Lisbon looked at the flowing crimson top with the long, sheer sleeves and delicate beading at the neckline and cuffs. Nodding her head, she didn't notice when Jane added two more in a deep cobalt blue and off white. She was too busy selecting a couple of tops and sweaters more professional in nature and another pair or two of slacks. Going over the bounty in their basket, she decided between the three or four outfits she'd selected to wear now and the maternity wear she'd need in the near future, this shopping trip was going to set Jane back a pretty penny. Since he obviously didn't care, she wasn't going to let it bother her that much either.

"I'm done here. You pay for all of this while I go over there. I'll meet you at the door we came in around twenty minutes from now." Lisbon gestured in the direction of the lingerie department. She so wasn't taking Jane over there. She could only imagine what he would say and do.

"Fine. I'll meet you at the exit." Jane watched her head in one direction while he headed towards the checkout in the other. He wouldn't embarrass her at the moment, but that day was coming soon. He was eagerly awaiting his chance.

Meeting Lisbon at the door a few minutes later not at all surprised she was sporting a fairly large bag of her own, Jane knew she was trying to figure out how much he'd spent. She'd blow a gasket so she was never going to know. Yes, they could have done things much less expensively; but, he didn't want to. There would be plenty of time to be responsible once they returned to Sacramento and started getting their lives in order. For now, he was enjoying spoiling Lisbon. It had been much too long since he'd had anyone to spoil.

Kissing the side of her head before wrapping his arm around her waist, Jane escorted Lisbon to their truck knowing they looked for all the world like every other happily expectant couple on a shopping spree.

#

"Lisbon, you might as well stop trying to hide things from me."

Having put all of their purchases away and made himself comfortable in their bed, Jane reached beneath the mattress to remove the baby catalogs for everything from furniture to bedding he'd known she'd been squirreling away for weeks to study when she didn't think he was looking. The problem was he was always looking. Even when he didn't look like he was. So he'd known exactly what she was doing.

"Do you have to know everything?" Lisbon asked petulantly from the bathroom knowing he'd found her catalog stash. Drying her face and washing her hands she exited the bathroom and crawled up the bed beside him taking her favorite bedding catalog from Jane. "I thought we could turn the second bedroom at my place into a nursery." She said in a way letting Jane know she'd given it a lot of thought. "We could do the baby's room in this." Lisbon pointed to a pirate shipped theme bedding set sending Jane's hopes of jungle animals or plane flying monkeys spiraling down the drain.

"While you have a perfectly nice apartment you've invested a lot of time in making a home, we can't stay there." Jane quietly informed her.

"Why not?" Lisbon asked not sure whether to be offended or hear him out.

"Lisbon, I don't have anything against your place except it has next to no security. While it never bothered you before, it should bother you now. It should bother you a lot as it isn't safe." Jane continued.

"I like my place. It's certainly big enough for us and one little baby. We can get a bigger place later if that's what you want. And while security isn't the best, I've never had any problems." Lisbon didn't like what Jane was saying one bit. She'd been in that apartment for over ten years. The complex was low key and family oriented. It would be a nice place to raise a Baby Jane. It even had a large play ground and family picnic area.

"We'll talk about it later when you've had time to think about what I said." Jane wasn't in the mood to argue. Not when he knew she'd come around before he was done. "Besides, we need to talk about other things. We'll be pulling out in a couple of days for Louisiana. Pete and Jake have agreed to take over your duties for the first few days after we get to there." Jane said innocently knowing Lisbon's mind was too wrapped up in navy gingham schooners, galleys, and pirate ships to read between the lines.

"Why would they do that?" Lisbon asked.

"Because you have a wish list in the back of that notebook where you're keeping your nursery notes of all the places you want to visit in and around New Orleans. If I'm not forgetting anything there were a couple of plantations, several museums, and an aquarium near the top. All of those places will take several days to properly explore and we might as well spend some time soaking up the atmosphere while we're there." Jane informed her.

"You're saying what exactly?" Lisbon asked.

"That since we won't be that far away, we might as well take a short vacation and see all the places you want to see. We won't get that close to The Big Easy any time soon after this. Everyone agrees you deserve a break." Jane continued as though she'd never interrupted. "We'll pull into camp and leave the trailer by Pete's place. After that, New Orleans is only a few hours away."

"You can't be serious." Lisbon couldn't believe her ears.

"I assure you I am." Jane said. "The hotel suite is already booked for a week from today."

"You can't be serious." Lisbon repeated.

"Wait and see. As we'll be there for a week there should be plenty of time to take in the wax museum and all those other sights you want to take in around the French Quarter. Since our hotel is also there, everything will be within walking distance. We'll drive to the art museum and the plantations although I'm going to put my foot down on any of those swamp adventures so don't fight me on it. I don't particularly care to have my unborn son anywhere near alligators in the wild. He is a Baby Jane and there's no telling what might happen." Jane continued as he drew a line through that item on her list.

"Jane, honestly, nothing would happen. We'd be in a boat with trained guides." Lisbon protested.

"It's not open to discussion. The only boat you'll be on is the really big one for that hokey dinner cruise you seem to have your heart set on." Jane's tone was final.

"It's not hokey." Lisbon defended herself.

"Trust me, My Dear, it's very hokey." Jane corrected her. "But, we'll both enjoy it anyway."

"I think we will." Lisbon refused to let his cynicism rain on her parade. She couldn't help it she'd always wanted to go on riverboat cruise on the Mississippi.

"We will; but, I can think of other things we'd both enjoy more." Jane said as he set the notebook aside. "Like exploring the changes I felt when we snuggling earlier."

Closing his eyes and running his hand over the slight mound of Lisbon's stomach beneath her yoga pants and tee, Jane decided her tummy had gotten slightly larger over the last couple of days. She might not be able to tell beyond her pants not fastening; but, he certainly could and he found the subtleties fascinating.

"Your hands are cold." Lisbon's whispered in his ear though she made no move to get away as he slipped her shirt over her head.

"That's okay. You won't mind in a minute." Jane whispered back with his eyes still closed carefully cataloging every miraculous change beneath his palms.

Deciding he was probably right and that two could play that game, Lisbon ran her equally cold hands over his chest deciding he wouldn't mind in a few minutes either.

She was exactly right.

Neither of them did.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Tina, thanks for the review. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. ~Calla

#

Sipping tea and staring out the back window of their nicely appointed suite at the pool area, Jane decided some people needed their heads examined. In the first place, it was rather cool to be jockeying about in a pool even if it was heated. In the second, and in several cases, just because one could wear a bikini didn't mean one should although that slender dark haired girl horsing around with her boyfriend reminded him of a younger Lisbon. She was lithesome, bright eyed, cute, and becomingly freckled. She was also clearly kicking butt and taking no prisoners against her much larger beau. Shifting his gaze slightly to the right, Jane decided the Nordic looking ice princess sunning so regally on her chaise had the kind of curves making a man look at least twice plus a few times more.

"Jane, stop gawking at Anneke. She's gorgeous but as you're off the market it so isn't doing you a bit of good. Oh, and so is she for the record." Lisbon threw a pillow at him smirking when it hit him upside the head as she'd intended.

"Anneke, huh? I take it the two of you have met?" Jane said as he kneeled down to pick up the pillow glad his tea cup had been empty or he'd have gotten an impromptu bath he wouldn't have wanted.

"We were both on the Houmas House tour. You were too busy commiserating with her husband to notice us talking. That and Anneke looks different with her clothes on." Lisbon smirked again remembering how the tall, regal blonde kept her ample assets discretely covered when she wasn't poolside.

She could only image what her acquaintance looked like with everything hanging out from the vaguely lascivious expression on Jane's face. She didn't have to guess the cut of that suit as Anneke was definitely a "letting it all hang out" kind of girl so it was no doubt quite revealing. And while Jane was happily taken, he wasn't dead. Not yet, though she might decide to kill him if he didn't stop the unconscious drooling.

To his credit, Jane hadn't really noticed her four days ago beyond commenting she was a pretty enough woman in passing. He'd certainly not given Anneke a second glance. That might have had something to do with he'd been far too busy hovering annoyingly to notice the rest of her. Unfortunately for Lisbon, her latest nasty bout of nausea had been accompanied by an equally unpleasant round of dizziness that morning. It didn't matter she'd been fine a short time later. That was all it had taken to set Jane off and get her driven crazy the rest of the day.

"We ran into each other in the courtyard yesterday and shared a drink or two." They'd also munched on crab dip and pita chips; but, Jane didn't have to know that.

He'd turned into the diet police lately craftily steering her away from anything potentially harmful to her or their son. Sometimes she just wanted to enjoy the little she was able to eat without worrying about the consequences which wasn't going to happen with a certain nosy consultant turned lover around. That was why she'd enjoyed the time she'd spent with her new friend laughing at their men's expense. Anneke couldn't care less if she ate pistachio ice cream and pickled herring from the same bowl. On second thought, that was a rather revolting combination; but, the ice cream sounded good. She'd leave the pickled herring to Jane.

"George is her husband?" Jane asked remembering the surprisingly large, striking dark haired man with whom he'd lamented the historical obsessions of their significant others as both women were fixated on seeing every plantation open to tour on the Old River Road.

"He's a Chief Inspector at Scotland Yard in Counter-terrorism." Lisbon wiggled into a more comfortable position on the mattress.

"Bully for him." Jane returned as he tossed the pillow on the bed beside Lisbon. He'd liked the man well enough he supposed. Even if he was a cop.

"Anneke's a history professor at some university I've never heard of about eighty miles outside of London." Lisbon giggled as Jane sidled down on the bed next to her and tickled her in retaliation for bopping him with that pillow.

"You'd better have been drinking tea or some other such nonsense as I know your friend has a fondness for drinking champagne at all times of the day and night." The truth was Anneke was well on the road to becoming a ladylike lush and Jane wasn't sure he approved of Lisbon's growing attachment to her.

He'd seen the type too many times before in his other life. George was financially comfortable, socially well connected, dedicated to the job, and occassionally neglectful of his wife when duty called. A wife who enjoyed the party scene a hair too much although they seemed happy enough from what he could see. Poor George probably turned a blind eye when Anneke dabbled one the side every now and then deciding it was his due for being away from home too long.

Personally, Jane thought that was so much hogwash. He might leer occassionally at a particularly tasty woman; but, the thought of straying would never cross his mind and he'd certainly never do it under any circumstances. Lisbon knew she didn't have a worry in that department even though their love life had been greatly impacted by the side-effects of carrying the Baby Jane. If anything, his lovely mommy-to-be was more frustrated than he was and that was saying alot.

Smirking evily at the memory of Lisbon's last cussing tirade when morning sickness had interrupted them about the time things were getting interesting, Jane turned his thoughts back to Anneke and George. He'd already noted the pretty blonde had more of a roving eye than she should. She'd turned those baby blues in his direction a time or two though he'd never tell Lisbon. It wasn't like they'd ever see the couple again. If hanging out in the lobby or the courtyard with the other woman made her happy, what did he care? There was no harm done as he'd certainly never take her up on her offer.

Suspicions aside, it was apparent the Littleton-Smythe's were in New Orleans to make Anneke happy and that George would have preferred to be working though he was suitably attentive as a good husband should be. Especially the indulgent husband of a spoiled, significantly younger wife looking like Anneke did. In fact, George had been rubbing suntan lotion on his wife's pale golden skin when he'd turned away from the window to deal with Lisbon's naughtiness. The man really needed to get a more age appropriate swimsuit even if he did have an impressive physique. It seemed Anneke wasn't the only member of that couple enjoying parading their assets for all to see.

"It was sparkling red grape juice in a champagne flute." Lisbon admitted to ease Jane's mind when she really wanted to tell him she'd matched Anneke glass for glass. But, she wouldn't. It was much too cruel and he'd know she'd never do something so irresponsible anyway. She'd get him back for annoying her in some other way.

"Good girl. What's on the agenda today?" Jane asked knowing Lisbon had been studying printed flyers most of the morning while she ate beignets and drank her morning café au lait disgustingly decaf of course.

"We'll take in the Aquarium and the Wax Museum this morning. Maybe we can start some of the house museums after lunch? We'll be done in time for a nap before dinner. We can finish the rest tomorrow morning. If we do the art museum and the zoo in the afternoon, we can enjoy the last three days just hanging out." Lisbon suggested her thoughts already on that Komodo Dragon hanging out at the Audubon Zoo. That was one _really_ big lizard from what she'd read and she couldn't wait to see it.

"Sounds like a plan." Jane agreed giving her a kiss before rolling out of bed. "I'm going to brush my teeth and put my shoes on. We can leave when you're ready."

"I'll be ready in a few." Lisbon was already rummaging through her bag for her comfortable walking shoes.

Staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, Jane shook his head. He'd not realized Lisbon was such a museum hound. They'd spent the first two days taking in every plantation they could gain access to on the Old River Road from their home base at a nice B & B situated in the middle of everything. Maybe not _every_ plantation; but, more than enough to get his fill. He'd walked Destrehan, St. Joseph, and Columbia plantations as well as San Francisco mansion to name a few of the magnificent homes ranging from Creole to Greek Revival and everything in between.

He'd even shadowed Lisbon as they toured Magnolia Mound Plantation taking in everything from the earliest eighteenth century part of the house to the spider pots in the separate open-hearth kitchen to the cash crop garden containing indigo, tobacco, cotton, and sugar cane.

He'd learned more about Louisiana's storied past in a couple of whirlwind days than he'd ever wanted to know. Maybe some of it would come in handy down the road. Not bloody likely; but, all that info would still take up space in his brain. Mental grousing aside, for all of his ennui, Jane had enjoyed every second of their explorations as much as Lisbon had. A large part of the fun of the experience was watching her eyes light up as she took in the opulent, red canopied bed in one gilded plantation bedroom and the magnificently decked out long mahogany table in the equally lavish dining room of another. She'd loved seeing all the things she'd only seen in old movies or read about in books. Jane smiled as he thought _those_ books she'd never admit to reading.

Lisbon had even covertly arranged for them to take the Evergreen and Oak Alley Plantation Tour insuring she got her narrated journey through the cypress swamp complete with alligator sightings yesterday. He hadn't had much to say about how they spent their first official day in New Orleans as he'd not known exactly what was involved in that tour when she'd told him she already had their tickets in hand. He'd found out the truth when it was much too late to protest. Lisbon would have fed him to some rather nasty looking critters swimming about in the muck if he had.

As it was, Jane had enjoyed their journey through the swamp and wetlands as much as his companion had. He'd also enjoyed the historical lecture accompanying their trip to the sugar cane plantation and, later, their tour of the equally majestic Oak Alley with its centuries old oak trees lining the entrance. He even enjoyed the trip back through the swamp and found himself wondering if it was possible to hypnotize an alligator. As though catching the train of his thoughts, Lisbon had offered to save everyone trouble and make him gator chow if he even contemplated ever attempting anything so foolish.

If that wasn't bad enough, she'd managed to tack a tour of the "Haunted" Manchac Swamp on to the end of their trip. She'd tricked him into doing the one thing he'd said they weren't going to do. Not that it really mattered as they'd already taken a swamp tour on their way to Oak Alley. This swamp tour was something different. They'd gotten a bit more up close and personal with certain massive, slithering reptiles and listened to creepy ghost stories about things like the Frenier cemetary and the red hanging tree. They'd seen trapper's cabins and been informed in vivid detail about the beautiful wildlife refuge surrounding them. All in all, their trek was worth any imaginary "perils" his mind could create and he'd learned a very valuable lesson. Lisbon was a far sneakier little thing than he'd given her credit for being.

"Hey, Jane, snap out of it. I'm ready to get a move on." Lisbon's impatient tone penetrated his thoughts. "Brush your teeth and let's _go_." Her mind was already on Caribbean reef exhibits, white alligators, and sea otters.

#

Feeling the cell vibrating in his pocket from where he was standing by his favorite window overlooking the pool, Jane contemplated not answering the summons. Drawing it from his pocket, he clicked the button and placed the phone to his ear instead. Lisbon would never forgive him if it was something important. And considering who it was, that was the only conclusion he could draw. It was definitely important.

"What's up?" Jane asked not really wanting to know.

Listening to the man of few words speaking more than he'd ever heard him say at one time, Jane decided his initial assessment was right. He didn't want to know. And it _was_ very important.

"Lisbon, I think you'd best take this." Jane offered her the silver cell phone nodding affirmatively at her mouthed "Cho." Couldn't the guys wait until they were home in their RV? He and Lisbon were enjoying the long overdue vacation he had a feeling was about to be cut short. The one he wasn't ready to leave.

The only upside to this latest turn of events was they'd already visited most of the places on that infamous list and were at the lolling about the French Quarter stuffing their faces stage of their trip. They'd even taken in the Reptile encounter at the Audubon Zoo with most famous resident. Who knew Lisbon was fascinated by really big lizards? She'd stared at that Komodo Dragon for quite a while before calmly announcing it reminded her of him: keenly intelligent with an edge of dangerous creepiness.

He'd not been sure whether to be amused or insulted. Though Jane hardly found himself creepy, some of the seemingly impossible things he did were on the disturbing side. He supposed that might seem "creepy" to some people. He preferred to think of it as working in seemingly "mysterious ways" though there was nothing all that mysterious about his tricks. He was simply a keen student of the human condition. However, some of those other abilities he refused to openly acknowledge were a different matter and, while definitely creepy, they weren't always right. He tended not to rely on them nearly as much as his natural powers of observation.

Who knew? Maybe Lisbon was right in her strange comparison. He and that reptile were both skillful hunters and they both moved fast when on the scent. Unfortunately, they didn't always catch their prey. But, they had pretty impressive track records anyway. Jane supposed there were worse things in the world to be compared to than a rapacious killing machine. Having killed more than once himself, he wasn't going to point that part out to Lisbon. He was sure she hadn't thought that far.

"Yeah, Cho, what's up?" Lisbon took a bite of red currant jelly smeared biscuit as she listened intently to the voice on the other end of the phone. Cho wouldn't have called if it weren't important. He knew better. "You can't be serious…You are…I don't know what to say except are you sure?...I can call Minelli and LaRoche for confirmation since they told all of you in the first place…Yeah, I might do that…Right now I'm going to talk to Jane…Tell the guys "Hello." Yes, from both of us…We'll see you soon…What do you think?" Of course Jane was coming with her. She could hardly leave him behind now that they were so inseparably linked even if she wanted to sometimes. He wouldn't let her if she tried.

Clicking the phone off, Lisbon silently handed it back to Jane before finishing her biscuit and café au lait. She needed a few minutes to digest everything Cho had told her. It was more than she could get her mind around. Taking the final sip of her milky beverage she set the cup aside before motioning for Jane to hand her the phone again. Steeling her resolve, Lisbon dialed a number and put the phone to her ear.

"Virgil." Lisbon said as Jane slid onto the bed pulling her back to rest against him. "Is it true?...It doesn't matter how I know…Leave my team out of it…No, they don't have a clue where we are… Yes, Jane is with me but you already know that…You're a smart man…You figured that one out a long time ago." The fact Jane always had his finger in the pie in the midst of trouble was hardly a secret and she'd definitely been in big trouble.

Anyone with one eye and half a brain would have known a long time ago there was no way in heaven or hell she could have escaped without Jane's assistance all those months ago. She wasn't that brave, foolhardy, or creative. Her first thought would have been to turn herself in fully believing she would be vindicated. Jane had known differently. He'd known who was really behind the murder and the ulterior motive long before she had.

Seeing the distress on her face, Jane took the phone from Lisbon's hand and cut to the chase.

"Virgil, is it safe for Lisbon to return to Sacramento?... There won't be any nasty officers with guns and cuffs waiting for her?...No...You're absolutely sure we can trust you?...We can.…I thought we could; but, I just want to be sure…Oh, more importantly all charges are dropped and Lisbon has been cleared to return to work…I have been too…There's been a real public outpouring of support now that it's been proven she was framed…That's nice to know. We'll give you a call after we've talked it through…Yes, we'll discuss the details…all of them….

Truthfully, I'm not sure Lisbon wants to return to the CBI…I'm not sure I want to…We'll call you in a few hours to let you know what she's decided…Oh, and don't try to find us as this phone is already on its way to the landfill and we'll be long gone." Jane ended the call and turned the cell off. "Well, it sounds like he knows and he's made his move. What happens next is up to us."

"What exactly did Cho say happened?" She'd been too overwhelmed by the possibility she was finally free to pay that much attention to the finer points of their conversation.

"Exactly what we thought was going to happen once he figured this out." Jane rubbed her belly in a way Lisbon would find punch-in-the-nose condescending if it were anyone else. She'd probably do it to. "Red John started manipulating evidence."

"What's new about that? He's been manipulating evidence for months." Lisbon tipped her head up to look at Jane wondering what he was getting at.

"Yes, he has. But not like this. This makes Carmen look like the novice he really was." Jane idly played with her fingers as he leaned back against the headboard and closed his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Lisbon watched Jane sliding his fingers through hers in that absent manner he often did when deep in thought.

"That I don't think you've ever allowed yourself to accept the truth. We had no hope of ever clearing your name had everything stayed the same." Jane said quietly.

"Yes, we did. The team never stopped working the case. We know they didn't." Lisbon reminded him.

"No, they didn't; but, they couldn't change what the evidence said and the evidence said you were guilty." Jane reminded her.

"I don't want to talk about that. None of that matters anymore." Not from what Minelli had said. And LaRoche, too, as she'd heard his voice in the background before Jane had swept the phone from her hand.

"Don't ever think that. It matters. It matters a lot. You can't ignore the facts. Rafferty was shot in what was clearly a moment of very heated emotions. At least six rounds were fired with five hitting him in the chest and gut and the sixth going wide. He wouldn't have been shot so many times if it weren't a crime of passion.

Face it, Lisbon, you were hardly acting your usual rational self all the months you were after him. Your behavior was erratic and out of character like it was back in the Carmen days. Everyone saw it now as they did back then. You were definitely not okay.

It was only natural when the evidence pointing in your direction started fitting together like pieces in a puzzle that everyone but your friend in forensics and your team jumped to the obvious conclusion." Jane reminded her.

"I suppose they did." Lisbon nestled a little closer against him enjoying the security of being in Jane's arms. "And finding the gun used to kill Rafferty only cinched what they already believed."

"Yes, it did…Lisbon, you have to admit using the weapon he did was pure genius. Taking the gun from your bedroom was much more persuasive in dissuading any thoughts of a frame job than your service weapon would have been." Jane tamped down a natural spark of admiration for his opponent.

"How did he even know that gun was there?" Lisbon knew how Jane knew; but, she'd never invited Red John in for an unofficial perusal of her home.

"How do you think? You're not only a woman living alone; but, you're a cop. That you'd have a piece or two shoved in dark corners makes perfect sense.

That being said, Red John has cased your apartment over the years. He likes to know everything he can know about his opponents and how better to discover all there is to know than getting up close and personal with their home? I do it all the time. We both know he had no more trouble discovering your secrets than I had. He's spent the time since waiting for an opportunity to use what he knows against you. You gave him that opportunity with Rafferty." Jane reminded her.

"You're trying to tell me Red John or one of his freaks has been in my apartment without me knowing?" Lisbon really wanted to kill the messenger the more she thought about what Jane was saying.

"Yes, Lisbon, he has. Many times I'm sure." Jane liked that idea about as well as Lisbon did. He wasn't going to remind her it was in Red John's best interest to know the layout of her apartment for other reasons. Such knowledge would make it very easy to take her when the time came. Take her or kill her in her own bed. Whichever tickled his fancy more when the moment to strike finally came.

"I don't even want to think about it." And she wasn't going to. It was one thing to know she lived her life in harm's way. She was a cop and that came with the territory. It was another to think harm was invading the sanctity of her home.

"Then don't. If Red John had wanted to hurt you, he would have. There's no reason to sweat the small stuff like reconnaissance you can't do anything about since it's long over. What he did with that reconnaissance is a different matter.

Choosing to use the 9 mm automatic you keep shoved in the back of your closet was brilliant. You know the one you keep on the top shelf in between the black and green folded sweaters? The gun you'd never realize had been taken and returned until the cops found it and ballistics confirmed it as the murder weapon. By then it would have been too late." Jane quietly said ignoring the way Lisbon's eyes widened at realizing he shouldn't know where she kept that gun any more than Red John should as she'd never told him or anyone else. She probably hadn't even heard the rest of his statement or the part that really mattered. She was too busy being offended he'd gone where he shouldn't without her permission.

"You are so dead." Lisbon flushed at the thought he'd been snooping where he had no right to go.

Jane shrugged his shoulders dismissively. Lisbon had to know he'd subjected her place to the Jane treatment enough times over the years to know where she kept her weapons. As well as other secrets she'd like him knowing even less. Surely she wasn't naïve enough to think he'd change his MO for her? She was the one person he'd truly wanted to know about and she'd hardly been forthcoming.

"Lisbon, did you hear what I said after that? The important part about someone taking your gun, using it to kill Rafferty, and returning it with you being none the wiser? You wouldn't have realized what happened until it was too late." Jane wanted to thump her for being so obtuse.

"I heard you, and as much as I hate to admit it, you're right. I couldn't have talked my way out of that one. No one would have listened. The evidence was too compelling…Although it seems hard to believe I'd ever be dumb enough to put a gun I'd used to kill someone back in the top of my closet…Then again, I wouldn't be the first cop to do something really stupid in the heat of the moment. I'm not even sure the guys would have been on my side once the rest of the evidence started rolling in. Even if they were, it wasn't like they could do anything. I'd still be in jail with no way out. I owe you big for this one don't I?" Lisbon was glad she'd listened to him when she hadn't wanted to.

"I'd say the score's pretty even about now." Jane kissed the top of her head again.

"You never told me about the gun before. About the trace and the fingerprints, yes. But, not that Rafferty was killed with that gun." She'd thought it was the handgun she kept under the seat in her car. She'd never had the chance to verify her supposition before Jane whisked her out of town abandoning her vehicle to be impounded by the CBI. "That changes everything doesn't it?"

"I suppose it does." Felling her shiver, Jane kissed the top of Lisbon's head and rubbed her arms soothingly. "It means we won't be staying at your place. I think we'll be alright for a few days; but, finding a new place to live as quickly as possible is top priority."

"Agreed…When do you think they took the gun? I know it was there the Saturday before Rafferty was killed. I cleaned my weapons and made sure they were all in working order that day." Lisbon remembered the day well.

"I'd guess the day before as we worked late on the Simpson case. That gave whoever actually went to your place plenty of time to get inside and out with no one the wiser...They also had access to plenty of trace evidence just lying around for the taking. Fresh hair in your brush, that coffee cup you leave in the sink every morning full of fingerprints, and so on. I suspect your thief was someone with a degree of forensics training." Jane calmly informed her. "Enough to know what to take to make the scene work without raising any red flags…Too much trace to come from a casual crime scene visit and not enough to look planted." Jane reminded her.

"I guess." Lisbon agreed.

"And since the evidence _was_ planted, it was easy enough for Red John to unravel everything at will because he knew what was there and how it all fit together." Jane reminded her.

"And his will just happens to coincide with the time our little secret isn't a secret anymore." It didn't matter they'd figured out this was how the game would play out a long time ago, she still didn't like it. She didn't like it one bit.

"Yes, it does. Everything is happening exactly as we expected and none of that really matters. What does matter is we both know Red John's gifts don't come without a price. The decision we have to make now is do we go back or do we move on?

I'm willing to give up the chase. We can leave the country and start over somewhere. I don't think he'll follow if we go far enough." Jane said quietly thinking maybe somewhere in the UK like Ireland, the wilds of Cornwall, or Scotland.

"And spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulder. If he can follow us here, he can follow us there. Besides, we need to end this once and for all. We owe our son that much." Lisbon closed her eyes telling herself that was the right decision to make.

They'd come too far to spend their life running from a monster they'd never see coming. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop when they least expected it. She'd rather stand and fight. If they went down, they'd go down swinging like good cops should. It didn't really matter Jane wasn't exactly a cop. He was still a member of her team.

"You want to go back to Sacramento." Jane wasn't sure how he felt about the idea or the dangers coming with it.

"I think we should. I'm a Senior Agent at the CBI. It's who I am and what I do. I did tell you they're willing to give me back my job, my office, and my team?" Lisbon asked. "My consultant, too, for the moment."

"Cho and Minelli did. Are you sure that's what you want?" Jane asked again.

"The charges have been dropped and they have the real murderer in custody." Lisbon said not really listening to him.

"Who just happened to allow himself to be caught as the case fell apart and new evidence pointed to him. You know what that means." Jane stated.

"He's a Red John tool." Lisbon voiced what everyone should already know.

"More than that, he's a cop who isn't going to last long enough to make it to trial." Jane reminded her.

"You're probably right…Jane, I know what we're setting ourselves up for. I do. But, I still want to go home. I need to see Minelli and the team. I need to convince myself none of the nightmare was real. Not that I haven't enjoyed the life or the friends we've made. It's just that none of this is us. You aren't true carney anymore than I am.

I'm a detective and you're my consultant.

The rest of this is smoke and mirrors for Red John's benefit." Lisbon waved their joined hands in the air.

"Maybe it is; but, it's been fun for a change." He'd enjoyed losing himself in the lifestyle again.

He might not be front and center running cons and fleecing marks; but, that was okay with Jane. He'd left that life behind a long time ago…For the most part. Unless indulging in a little fun was for the greater good. Then he was happy to fleece away. The higher ups tended to turn as much of blind eye as possible when cases were solved and bad guys caught. The past few months he'd chosen to work behind the scenes and take care of Lisbon instead. It had surprised him initially that he was so content living such a simple life.

As for Lisbon, in spite of her words to the contrary, she'd enjoyed herself as well. He'd accepted the fact a long ago that you could take the man out of the lifestyle; but, you could never really take the carney out of the man. Now that Lisbon had had her taste of the life, she'd never be the same. He'd let her find that out on her own. He had no doubts they'd be hanging out at the county fair when it came into town. The guys wouldn't have any problem with that…even if Lisbon was a cop again and he was close enough. They'd probably rib them about it and say they much preferred Amber and Jack. But, that wouldn't stop them from keeping her seat at the poker table.

"I guess it has." She'd certainly enjoyed her furry friends and all those late night poker games. "Jane, if we can't go back to my place, what are we going to do?"

"An upscale hotel room with plenty of cameras and security will work nicely until we find another place. We'll go back to your apartment to get your things, but that's about it. It isn't safe any longer." A hotel room wasn't much better; but, it was safer than Lisbon's apartment now that it had been violated. Besides, he'd have them somewhere else in no time.

In fact, he'd been working on something before they'd left that might work perfectly if the house was still available. He'd have certainly closed the sale had he not left town so abruptly. He could do that again he was sure.

Another seven months of languishing on the market could only make the sellers more receptive to his reasonable offer and seal the deal. He'd call Connie to see. She would certainly understand his reasons for disappearing suddenly off the map leaving her so rudely hanging. It wasn't like they hadn't known each other for years. She was actually an acquaintance from his before life he'd chosen to revive. The woman was a wonder at finding the right property.

Jane was sure Lisbon would like the house he'd selected. It had spacious rooms, a killer kitchen, four bedrooms, three and a half baths, and a game room they could put a billiards table in. The nicely sized bedroom across the hall from the luxurious master suite would make a nice nursery complete with easy to install baby monitors. It didn't hurt the property also had a heated pool and the neighborhood came with plenty of walking trails. All in all, it was a lot of well built custom house for the price with a number of the nicer upgrades usually found in more far expensive homes.

The only downside was the location added another fifteen to twenty minutes to their morning commute. That was a small price to pay in Jane's opinion. He hoped Lisbon felt the same as he really like both the house and the neighborhood. It was a good place to raise a family as their surrounding neighbors were all professionals with children of varying ages. He'd noted all of that the first time he'd looked around.

Not that he'd had any serious intent of buying at the time though he'd made a marginal offer that may have been accepted and fortunately wasn't. He'd been more interested in getting back into the swing of things and testing how it would feel to contemplate having a life again. He'd had an inkling such a possibility might be looming down the road. So, it was better to be safe than sorry. He could only imagine Lisbon's face had he unexpectedly gotten himself saddled with a house much too large for a single man. She'd have thought him insane.

Turning his thoughts back to the house he hoped to make a home, Jane contemplated how Lisbon might react when she saw it. Being in a more upscale gated community with larger lots and a clubhouse, it was a couple of steps up from the normal family neighborhood without being overly pretentious and, given market conditions, the price was right. Still more than Lisbon could afford on her own; but, not impossible to manage given both their salaries. Fortunately, the CBI compensated him fairly for his skills and he'd always been good at acquiring monetary gain.

Besides, as he intended purchasing the house outright, that wasn't an issue either of them should worry about. He just needed to make sure Constance arranged to show three or four comparable properties in equally nice neighborhoods. It wouldn't do for Lisbon to think he was steering her towards any particular one of them. She would balk at such an idea and probably refuse to seriously consider the house on principle. However, if he played his cards right, Jane was sure she'd come to the right choice on her own. If she didn't, he'd have to hypnotize her though that might be trickier than it seemed.

"Hey, you, we were having a conversation. I don't know what's going on up there; but, we have plans to make." Lisbon resisted the urge to tap his head with her finger.

Jane was getting lost in his thoughts more than usual lately. She really needed to figure out what was going on up there. Whatever it was, Lisbon was sure she wouldn't like it.

"Sorry. I was contemplating a few things. I suppose you want to call Minelli and leave as soon as possible." Jane said figuring he needed to give Connie a couple of days to make arrangement. He'd have to call her while Lisbon was in the shower.

"Call Minelli, yeah. But leave? No way. I'm not cutting our trip short. I don't know when we'll get this way again between work and a kid so I say let them wait. It's not like we haven't been waiting months. They can cool their heels for three or four days. " Lisbon surprised him by turning in his arms to kiss his neck in a meaningful way. "Besides, we've got a lot of food to eat and love to make and a comfortable bed to do it all in."

"I couldn't agree more." Jane agreed deciding he liked the way Lisbon's mind worked. "We have better things to do with our time than talking with the boss any time soon."

#

Looking at the faces around her, Lisbon felt a twinge at the thought she might never see any of them again. She'd gotten very close to all of the carneys in the months she'd lived among them. She was going to miss the late night poker games and the occasional treks to the neighborhood pool hall. She was going to miss her long conversations with Sammy even if the other woman persisted in calling her "Pepper." She was going to miss hearing the tales of "The Boy Wonder" from Pete. She'd learned more than she wanted to know about Jane's early life and discovered, as she'd suspected, it wasn't much better than her own after her mother died. In fact, it wasn't as good in some ways as his mother hadn't been around in the early days.

"Don't look like that, guys. Sacramento isn't so far away and we'll see you when you come to town. Right now we have to go back and catch a bad guy. We've been at this too long to let a serial killer slip through our fingers. Besides, we all know Red John's just biding his time waiting to strike and we can't let that happen.

You know he's been messing with Teresa over the last few weeks and we have people at the CBI who can help us stop him so that's what we have to do." Jane addressed the group from where he was standing with his arms draped lightly around Lisbon.

They'd come clean with the crowd a few minutes ago about who and what Lisbon was and why she was really among them. Everyone had taken the revelation surprisingly well given most of them had hidden pasts as many people did. They could hardly throw the first stone when they weren't any better. No one had minded that much Lisbon was actually a cop. She'd been one of them too long for any of that to matter and they'd grown to love her.

Besides, everyone knew Teresa Lisbon had let Danny go so that went a long way with them. It also didn't hurt the men in charge had always known her true identity. If Stinky, Pete, and Smokey Joe were fine with it, who were they to argue? That Lisbon and Sammy were close in spite of her being a cop said it all. Sammy did not like law enforcement. That she was close this one spoke volumes.

The petite woman standing before them could consider herself the first cop to ever become an honorary carney among their group and once a carney always carney. She could come back any time she liked and stay as long as she wanted as long she brought the baby Jane. She wouldn't even have to bring Patrick along for the ride. He could be more trouble than he was worth at times though the tiny woman seemed to do an admirable job of keeping him in line.

"As much as I don't want to go, we have to. I'm going to miss all of you. But, like Jane said, we'll visit when you're in town." Lisbon was surprised how true the words coming out of her mouth were and how badly she wanted to cry. "For now, let's celebrate. We can say our good- byes later when it's time to go. Right now, it's time to eat."

Watching the crowd disband to head for the heavily laden tables, Lisbon felt Jane's arms tighten around her as she fought back the tears. Having made it through the last few months clinging to the hope her name would be cleared she'd not expected the thought of leaving all of this to hurt so much. In fact, now that the moment had arrived, she was finding it unbearable. Blaming her fluctuating emotions on pregnancy hormones, Lisbon knew that wasn't true.

She'd grown to love her adopted family even if she'd literally been living amongst a three ring circus with all the accompanying drama for the last few months. She was going to miss the hen sessions with Sammy and with some of the other woman. She was going to miss hanging out with the guys. She was going to miss tracking a certain runaway elephant who managed to find every sorry excuse for a mud hole in the vicinity. She was going to miss tending her "littles" as she'd called her menagerie of rabbits, goats, ponies, and chickens. She was going to miss strange little Maddie wandering about camp muttering warnings of doom and gloom. She was going to miss the old timers and Johan's wickedly lewd sense of humor.

As much as she wanted to go home, she didn't want to leave her friends or her animals. She _really_ didn't want to leave Daisy; but, she didn't think they'd let her keep an elephant at her apartment complex in Sacramento though Pete had told her more than once she could have her. Somehow, she didn't think he meant it. The tricky pachyderm wasn't as much cantankerous as she was terribly mischievous when bored.

"You okay now?" Jane asked as he turned her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Almost. I didn't expect it to hurt so badly." Lisbon admitted.

"Leaving family always does. We'll see them when they're in town. Pete'll give us a heads up and Stinky is already planning a welcome home poker game with your favorite beer and chips." If Jane didn't know better, he'd think he was feeling tears against his shirt.

But, he did, so he wasn't about to comment. Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon did _not_ cry. No way, no matter what, and never in public.

"Why don't you go eat with everyone? Tell them I'll be out in a bit. I'm feeling a little green at the moment." Lisbon said as she turned away from him.

"I'll go with you." Jane said automatically preferring to be with her when she sick.

"I'd rather be alone." Lisbon said as she refused to look at him.

"Fine. Just know if you're not back in twenty minutes, I'm coming to check on you." Jane said hoping she'd agree and not caring if she didn't. Crying her eyes out in private was acceptable. Getting dizzy and falling as she'd done a couple of times after being violently ill wasn't.

"I won't be that long." Lisbon said as she stood on her tiptoes giving him a reassuring kiss and knowing he wouldn't wait twenty minutes to check on her.

It didn't really matter. She wasn't feeling sick and he'd realize it if he actually thought instead of simply reacting. He'd figure the truth out as soon as she was gone. That she wanted to cry her eyes out and she wanted to be alone to do it.

"I'll be over there with the rest of the crew when you're ready." Jane said as Lisbon nodded before turning on her heel and heading for their RV and some much needed privacy.

Watching her safely navigate the steps and close the door behind her, Jane headed towards the food laden tables. When Lisbon finally emerged from her cocoon make up intact and head held high, he figured they'd spend a couple of hours visiting with everyone before Pete drove them to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Smokey Joe and Stinky would take care of getting their truck and RV to the long term storage facility in Baton Rouge sometime tomorrow as he'd already arranged. All in all, the transition was going far smoother than either he and Lisbon anticipated.

By this time tomorrow, they'd be in Sacramento.

The day after, they'd be at the CBI.

After that, the games would begin.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Tina, I'm glad you enjoyed the update. ~Calla

#

"Lisbon, you've been staring in that mirror for a good half hour." Jane said as he walked into their bedroom.

Contrary to what they'd discussed, they _were_ staying at Lisbon's place for now having decided even a nice hotel wouldn't be any safer in the end. Besides, they were confident Red John wasn't yet ready to strike. He was still in wait and see mode. However, they _had_ agreed the apartment wasn't going to be their permanent home. They had an appointment with Connie later in the afternoon to look at several properties.

Looking around the bedroom, Jane decided their initial assessment was as accurate as he'd thought. While adequate for the two of them, the living space surrounding him wasn't nearly spacious enough for a growing boy and certainly never a Baby Jane. They'd be nuts before the kid was a year old.

Of more immediate concern, security at the complex was almost nonexistent. While that had never bothered Lisbon before, it did now. It bothered him more. They would be in a safer place in the next few days or he wasn't Patrick Jane. While neither of them was under any illusion gates, cameras, and adequate security would stop Red John when he decided to act, they would certainly slow him down and that was all they needed. Due diligence would take care of the rest. They'd make sure of that.

"I've been trying to find something appropriate to wear. Why didn't I go shopping before we flew home again?" Lisbon asked staring at her familiar dark haired reflection.

She wondered briefly if there was anything she could have bought to disguise her pregnancy. Maybe a body smoother would have done the job. Then again, she wasn't about to wear one of those things. It wasn't like she was really showing that much. The average person passing her on the street wouldn't notice. But the people she worked with were a totally different matter…They'd spot the truth right away. After working with her over a decade, they'd find the subtle changes in her figure more than a little suspicious.

As for her dark hair, that was another story. They'd returned to their normal appearances within hours of returning from Louisiana. The possibility they might have to bolt was at the front of both their minds. It was far better no one at the CBI have any idea how they'd looked while on the lam. Not that they could go back to being Amber and Jack. Nor could they go carney again. Red John knew that fantasy. But, that didn't mean they couldn't be Kim and Jonathan or Ginger and Greg if circumstances dictated such necessity.

To further muddy their trail and leave their options open, they'd flown into Sacramento and taken a cab from the airport to a hotel where they'd stayed overnight. Stopping by a beauty supply store in route, they'd bought the necessary supplies to alter their appearances yet again. Within a couple of hours of setting foot in Sacramento she'd been staring back at a dark haired Teresa Lisbon and a golden haired Patrick Jane.

The sudden jolt their transformations gave her was painfully unexpected. It seemed she'd gotten more comfortable with being Amber than she'd ever thought she could be. At the moment, her alter ego felt far more familiar than the brunette staring back at her through sea green eyes. It was a strange day when the real her felt more foreign than the role she'd been playing. She kept reminding herself she'd felt the same about her alter egos when all of this first started. It was part of the normal adjustment process.

Looking away, Lisbon shook her head at the ridiculousness of the situation and pondered everything they'd left behind instead. It wasn't much. Just every thing they'd had on the road along with the Airstream and dually truck. At least she could take comfort in knowing all of that was safely stowed in long term storage in Louisiana where they'd stay until she and Jane were more sure of future events.

Lisbon smiled recalling where she'd been when Cho called to say all the charges were dropped. She'd been lounging in the middle of a massive king sized bed in a luxury hotel suite in the heart of the French Quarter sipping café au lait and eating biscuits. Not the sweet cookie kind, the decadent butter and jam slathered southern kind. Forget the beignets. Those biscuits were better. Jane had been standing at his favorite window sipping tea and watching Anneke and George making spectacles of themselves in the pool. He'd ended up cuddling her in bed before the conversation was over.

After confirming her Number One's happy tidings with Minelli and Bertram, they'd made arrangements to fly home in three days time and enjoyed their last days of freedom listening to Jazz and lolling about absorbing the atmosphere. They'd then driven back to the carney camp to say their good-byes before Pete and Sammy drove them to the airport.

While sorry to see her go, her new family had been happy for them. All except Mattie who'd made sure to warn them to watch their step as nothing was as it seemed. The Cards had told her so. Lisbon had accepted her tidings in the spirit they were offered. Neither she nor Jane bothered telling the distraught woman she was only telling them what they already knew. There was no need to disturb their resident soothsayer any more than she already was.

As usual, Jane had footed the bill for the ridiculously expensive plane tickets and cab ride across Sacramento. She had a feeling he'd paid the rent on her apartment and the utilities while they were away as well. Shaking her head, she admitted she'd never be able to repay him. Not in a million years. On second thought, she'd agreed to marry him and carry his kid. That should be payment enough. Jane certainly seemed to think so and that was good enough for her.

"Because neither of us felt any need to hide our child before now." Jane answered honestly as his hand came to rest on the slight rounding of her belly.

While meaningless to the public at large, the slight changes in her body were enough for anyone knowing Teresa Lisbon as well as her co-workers to realize immediately she was with child. Neither of them was under any illusion they'd leave the CBI today unscathed. The higher ups would go ballistic, the rumor mill would spin more freaky stories than Houdini, and the team would be in shock for a week. Unfortunately, the fallout couldn't be avoided. But, with luck, it could be contained.

"I don't want to hide him; but, I'm not ready to deal with the backlash either. Bertram is going to have a cow, LaRoche will swallow his tongue, and Minelli will look down his nose at us like a disapproving father." Lisbon said as she rested her hands lightly on top of the hands resting on their son.

While the rest of the world wouldn't give her a second look, her bosses would know something was amiss immediately. As would her co-workers and her team. Her weight didn't really fluctuate and certainly never _there_. Her eyes settled on the hands resting low on her belly mildly annoyed she'd started developing that betraying, healthy baby pooch. Not annoyed their child was growing as he should. Just annoyed at the flack she would soon be getting over something so natural and good.

"Yes, they will, and we can handle it." Jane reassured her.

"Cho's going to kick your ass." Lisbon giggled at the thought he'd probably think Jane hypnotized her or something.

The truth was far different. She'd tried to jump him first though she doubted that truth would cut any ice with Cho. He'd take it as proof Jane had bewitched her somehow. That wasn't exactly a lie. He'd put a spell on her long ago just by being Jane. All of that aside, she was going to be stopping a fight before the day was over. She just knew it.

"Yes, he is. But, Rigsby's going to be thrilled Benjamin will have a playmate and Van Pelt will want to pick out baby furniture and onesies with you." Jane said.

"You're probably right." Lisbon rolled her eyes at memories of pink bride's maid's dresses and girly girl moments she could have lived a lifetime without. "She can help with the clothes. The nursery is mine."

"Wear the red top, Lisbon." Jane tipped his head in the direction of the short sleeved top she'd recently tossed on her bed not willing to revisit that conversation yet again. He still wanted flying monkeys while Lisbon was determined to have pirate ships. Things weren't going well in that direction. Not well at all. He should have won by now.

"And I'd want to wear a spandex laden, clingy dress t-shirt emphasizing everything I'm trying to hide why?" Lisbon asked staring at the red shirt she'd bought on their last shopping spree and wondering briefly if Jane had completely lost his mind.

"I would say because neither of us is ashamed of our child. It's going to come out soon enough anyway." Jane answered honestly.

It also emphasized the ever rounding fullness of her breasts much to his delight. But, being a very wise man, Jane wasn't telling her that. She'd stomp him into a greasy spot. His Lisbon wasn't the mellow mommy-to-be Angela had been. Pregnancy hormones had only made her feistier and he appreciated that. He really did. He was looking forward to rattling her cage even more than he usually did. The end results were quite enjoyable.

"I've got your back, Teresa. If Bertram or anyone else gets too far out of line, they won't remain that way long." Jane promised.

"I know. I just hope it won't come to that." Lisbon said honestly.

She wasn't up for a fight at the moment. All she wanted was to resume her job and let life move on. It wasn't worth the struggle. In a few weeks she'd be on desk duty and in a few more she'd be on maternity leave anyway. After that, they'd get some down time to be a family before they'd have to find a good nanny to tend their little one when they returned to work. Rigsby would certainly have some recommendations. If he didn't, Sarah would. Between her and Jane, they would insure their child was well provided for.

"Trust me, Teresa, it won't." Jane said.

"That's what I'm afraid of. When you say things like that, I get concerned. I get very concerned." Lisbon cursed under her breath as she pulled the bright red shirt over her head and tucked the tail in the waist band of her pants. She still wasn't wearing maternity clothes, but her figure was slightly fuller. Her one size larger than she usually wore tailored jacket wasn't going to hide it. She was so busted.

"There's nothing to be concerned about. As long as no one messes with you, I'll have no reason to mess with them." Jane answered honestly again.

"I'm a big girl, Jane. I can fight my own battles. I always have." Lisbon said quietly.

"And you've done a fairly good job of it; but, this battle doesn't concern just you." Jane reminded her as he drew her into his arms.

"I guess it doesn't." Lisbon agreed knowing he'd only remind her she'd not created their child alone.

"I know it doesn't." Jane corrected her. "And while you might not need my protection to the degree I'm willing to offer it, you aren't the only consideration. I won't have you unduly upset. The stress isn't good for our son."

Lisbon hoped the sonogram didn't burst his bubble when they got around to finally having one. Jane had been convinced from the get go they were having a boy and he'd been very vocal about it. Somewhere along the way, she'd abandoned any thoughts of minuscule sparkly pink tutus and spit bubble filled baby romances with Benjamin. It wasn't worth the argument. Common sense had little to do with her lover's attitude. The probable sex of their child wasn't a battle she could win as Jane had been fully convicted from the start and she was smart enough to pick her fights wisely.

"I suppose it isn't. Now get out of here so I can finish getting dressed. We need to leave in about ten minutes or we'll be late for our meeting with Bertram." Lisbon said as she gave him a kiss and sent him on his way.

For once, Jane mercifully chose to obey her.

#

Jane led Lisbon down the hall towards the office they both dreaded entering. Bertram could be such a pill. Giving Lisbon a moment to gather herself before confronting the man neither of them had seen in over seven months, he squeezed her hand reassuringly. There wasn't much they could do beyond facing the situation head-on like snatching a band-aid off a scabby wound. The only good part was Bertram's secretary wasn't at her desk and they hadn't run into anyone wandering the halls so they had the element of surprise on their side. Knocking on the door, Jane opened it in response to the already put upon sounding, "Come in, Jane."

Bertram had figured out who he was really dealing with years ago. When that man was by her side, Lisbon was merely along for the ride so why bother addressing her instead of Jane?

"Good grief, Jane, tell me I'm not seeing what I think I am. Tell me." Bertram prayed his eyes were deceiving him.

If he'd possessed any real hair, he would be dragging both hands madly through it…or pulling every strand out by the roots. He wasn't quite sure which at the moment. The one thing he did know was he was ignoring that displeased glint in Lisbon's eyes. She obviously wasn't happy he was dealing with the other _man_ in the room and not directly with _her_. She could get over it…They both knew whose fault this was.

"Why would I do that?" Jane asked as he escorted Lisbon over to a chair in front of her boss's desk.

"Then I am seeing what I think I am." Betram said in open disgust at the thought of cleaning up yet another Jane mess.

"If you mean you're noting that Lisbon is pregnant, then yes, Gale, you're seeing exactly what you think you are." Jane calmly said as he removed Lisbon's jacket. "In fact, let me show you. Yes, I'd say she's definitely with child. Her tiny, but distinctively rounding, belly gives it away. About nineteen to twenty weeks gone if our doctor is right." Helping Lisbon back into her jacket, Jane ignored her exasperated look.

There were some things not meant for public consumption and her bosses' boss getting an up close and personal perusal of her rounding belly fell into that very public category. It wasn't appropriate even if doing so underscored Jane's point. Whatever that point might be. At the moment she wasn't exactly sure what that was and did she really care? She honestly didn't think so. Some things never changed and they never would.

"Since you were gone exactly seven months, three weeks, and four days, it only took a few weeks for the two of you to completely lose your minds. I suppose I should be grateful it took that long since you were in close quarters for an extended period of time." Bertram looked from Lisbon to Jane. "There's been something vaguely inappropriate between you for a very long time…years in fact. Even I could see it…Oh, and in case you're wondering why I know exactly how long you were on the lam, I marked every blissful day on my calendar." Bertram leaned back in his chair feeling he'd finally scored one for the good guys against Patrick Jane. "Not that I wasn't concerned about your welfare; but, it's hard to deny the peace and quiet was a welcome change."

"I'm sure you did and I'm sure it was." Jane settled back in his chair watching Bertram's every move.

"Not that I'm not glad to have you back. Our solve rate is abysmal and your team doesn't play well with others. Not that they've given LaRoche or Minelli any trouble in terms of their attitude. It's more that they have unorthodox ways of dealing with investigations at times which I blame on you." Bertram gazed pointedly at Jane. "And I blame you, Teresa, for allowing it." He transferred his gaze to Lisbon. "So, as much as it pains me to admit, I am glad to have you back. We need Jane's crime solving skills and your ability to manage that three ring circus you call a Serious Crimes Unit…_Him_ in particular.

That being said, I have a dilemma I don't know how to resolve.

What am I supposed to do with a recently cleared Senior Agent the public is demanding I return to her job who shows up for said job undeniably pregnant by the consultant she fled with? A consultant the public is also demanding I return to his old job as well I might add. You've only been back a few minutes and I'm already getting a headache. I won't deny all I really want to do is see the back of both of you. You're a PR nightmare and have been for years…especially you, Jane. Your only saving grace is you solve cases like nobody's business. " Bertram rubbed his temples.

The hell of the whole situation was he liked Lisbon. Actually, he liked both of them and he certainly respected Jane's abilities. Who wouldn't? But he hated the baggage that came with them. However, nothing worth having was free and there was something to be said for solving cases at such an outstanding level of competency. And the way those two solved cases was nothing short of mind-boggling.

"Your answer is right in front of you. You give the public what they want: St. Teresa and the Sinner." Jane said quietly ignoring Lisbon's indignant gasp. "It isn't like we're going anywhere. Turn a PR nightmare into a sappy fairytale. I'm sure Lisbon here won't mind if we give occasional updates with a happy photo or two." Jane gripped her hand lightly knowing she was uncomfortable with the whole conversation.

"You can't be serious." Bertram closed his eyes seriously contemplating Jane's words.

"You're a Spin Master. Do what you do best. By the time you're done spinning the sordid truth into gold the CBI will come out smelling like a rose and we'll be the love affair of the decade. Our privacy is a small price to pay for the greater good." It would also keep Lisbon and his child marginally safer from the ghoul in the shadows.

Red John wasn't likely to strike for the few weeks they were public property. When the fickle public lost interest and they became just another expectant couple, all bets were off. But Jane intended using that short respite to go on the Great Serial Killer Hunt. With a lot of hard work and a little luck, maybe some Lisbon prayers, he'd track and catch his quarry. Even better, he'd kill him. That would put a permanent end to their trouble until some lunatic decided to copy cat the monster. Hopefully that wouldn't happen. If it did, he'd quickly put a stop to him. No copy could ever be Red John even if he thought he was.

Sitting back in his chair, fingers steepled, Bertram pondered Jane's words with an intent look on his face.

"No insult meant; but, I need to know how to spin the story. It wouldn't do to present the star crossed lovers expecting the ill-timed by-product of their union only to have it degenerate into a custody battle before the child is born." Bertram said dispassionately already warming up to the magic of the spin.

"Lisbon." Jane turned to draw the hidden chain from beneath her shirt. "I've asked and she's accepted so, no, you don't have to worry about a custody fight before our child is born." Jane silently unfastened the chain and offered the ring for Bertram's inspection.

"Nice ring, Lisbon. Jane has good taste. I am right in assuming Jane picked it out?" Bertram sized up the very real natural Colombian emerald and diamond ring Jane proffered and decided he was duly impressed. The ring suited its owner impeccably and stood as testament the man seated before him had spent time in selecting his offering. Understated, but of undeniable quality, Bertram refused to ponder where Jane had gotten the money for that bauble. He didn't want to know. Some things were better left unsaid. "Well, that presents a whole new set of problems." Like the regulations saying married couples couldn't work together and Jane's refusal to work with anyone else. Rather his proven inability to do so. Bertram felt a permanent migraine coming on.

"Nothing you have to deal with for a while. We have a few things to do before we can tie the knot. Oh, and another thing, don't even think about separating us. It won't work and you know it. If your higher ups begin murmuring in ways we don't like remind them I'm fully capable of working Jane magic of my own." Jane reminded him.

Bertram rubbed his forehead as he watched the man help Lisbon to her feet clearly indicating their conversation was over. There was nothing left to do but mumble good-byes and watch them go. It didn't matter things hadn't gone exactly as planned. He could never seem to get the upper hand with their consultant. Unfortunately, the man was much too valuable to outright fire and he really didn't want to. He just wished he was easier to manage.

Leaning back in his chair and rubbing his temples, Bertram decided, yes, there was definitely a migraine developing behind his eyes. One he'd have a while in spite of his medication. It seemed he couldn't win for losing where a certain mentalist was concerned.

And, to top it all off, this was precisely how he'd hoped to _not _start his day: matching wits with Patrick Jane. Making it worse, this was Jane in full protect mode intent on shielding his mate and unborn child. While he'd not done so well by his first family, the man was making it abundantly clear he wouldn't fail this time around. In the end, Bertram's money was on him.

#

Having made it from Bertram's office to hers sufficiently shielding her body to keep the rumor mill at bay, Lisbon sat the large box she'd insisted on carrying inside from the car on her desk trying to ignore Jane's hovering. He wasn't happy with her actions at the moment and she wasn't playing invalid. He could just get over it. Besides, she wanted to be the one to spring her condition on her team not the gossip mongers. If that meant carrying a box a little too heavy for her, so be it. She wouldn't do it again. She promised.

"Go make that cup of tea. I'll be okay." Lisbon began unpacking the box she'd found neatly stored in her spare bedroom yesterday.

Her team must have cleaned out her desk and taken her things to her apartment. Cho knew where to find her spare key as Jane did though the latter preferred picking her lock. Apparently, a little b & e made him feel more like a man. What was she going to do with him? Lisbon didn't really know. She'd done enough already or she wouldn't be in this predicament. Not that she minded her predicament at all. She didn't and she was as fully prepared to deal with the fallout as Jane was.

"I'd rather do this." Drawing her into his arms, Jane wasn't surprised when Lisbon's arms wrapped around his neck compelling him to kiss her as deeply he'd intended all along.

Not daring to allow his hands to wander too aimlessly where they shouldn't, Jane ran his hands over her back and sides in a barely permissible manner. He felt Lisbon smirk as much as she could with his tongue doing far more wicked things than should be done in her office. They both knew she couldn't give him a half an inch without him taking ten miles and he totally agreed as it was his puckish nature to push the envelope every chance he got.

Pulling her tightly against him, Jane enjoyed the press of her curvier form. While he had no complaints about the Lisbon he'd always known and lusted after, he liked her new lushness equally well from her fuller breasts to the more womanly curve of her belly. Admittedly, a large part of the turn on was the cause for the changes and he knew that. But, that didn't mean he appreciated them any less. He was simply making sure he savored every moment as Lisbon would be back to her equally appealing, less voluptuous, self long before he had time to fully appreciate every delectable change.

"You are such a perv." Lisbon leaned back to look him in the eyes knowing the decadent thoughts spinning through his head.

"What can I say? Pregnant women turn me on." Jane smiled devilishly at the raised eyebrow.

"Pregnant women turn you on, huh?" Lisbon didn't care that she knew he'd phrased it that way to get a rise out her, it still didn't sound quite right to her ears. In spite of the tonsil licking kiss they'd just shared, Jane knew he was poking a hornet's nest with his words. Pregnancy hormones weren't leading to the most even keeled Lisbon he'd ever known. In fact, she could be quite dangerous at times and, being the fool that he was, Jane liked riling her up which only made her madder.

"Let me rephrase that. _My_ pregnant woman turns me on." Humoring her, Jane place a kiss on her forehead fighting the grin he knew would get him punched in the nose.

He'd learned early on that it wasn't wise to cross a pregnant cop when she had a certain look on her face. Actually, it wasn't wise to cross a non-pregnant Lisbon when she was wearing a similar expression. It got the same results.

"That sounds better." Lisbon kissed the nose she'd seriously thought about punching signaling Jane he was forgiven for being a jackass yet again. "Let the guys know I want to see them before this gets too much out of hand for the office." Lisbon reluctantly pulled away wondering when the new would wear off her toy, knowing it had to one day, and hoping it never did.

"It never wears off, Lisbon. Not when you love someone." Jane said quietly as he stared into flashing green eyes and noted the becoming glint in their depths wasn't just coming from lust.

It was far more complex. Lisbon was scared to be back in Sacramento and scared to be back at the CBI. She'd be a fool not to be. But that glimmer was also there from excitement as well. She was chafing at the bit to get on with the hunt and catch a serial killer. The sooner Red John was done, the sooner they could get on with their lives. Jane couldn't say he blamed her as he felt the same way. He was pretty darned eager to put that ring on her finger and hold his son in his arms.

"I hate it when you do that." Lisbon said as she settled behind her desk and reached for a folder trying to ignore the fact he was reading her mind again.

"Why? Unlike you, I was married a number of years and I can assure you the new never wore off. Maybe it does for some people. I can't tell you why. Maybe they were never really in love in the first place…All I can tell you is it never did with Angela and I'm confident it won't with us." Jane reassured her as he walked out the door.

Digesting his words, Lisbon noted her team had closed a few cases while she'd been gone. Cases she needed to review. There were also a few still open she needed to familiarize herself with. Hopefully with them back, they could wrap the open files up quickly and justice would be served Patrick Jane style. Lisbon felt the familiar tingle at the prospect of working a case again. While she'd enjoyed her life on the lam, nothing could compare to the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction of putting the bad guy away. Reaching for an open file, Lisbon responded to Cho's knock on the door. She knew who it was by the familiar rap.

"Hi, guys." Lisbon stated as her team filed into her office.

"Welcome back, Boss." Rigsby spoke for the other two.

"We're glad to be back." Lisbon's tone said she still didn't believe she was sitting in her office with her gun in her holster and her badge at her side once again. "Aren't we, Jane?" She tossed a pointed look in his direction.

"Yeah, Lisbon, we're glad to be back." Personally, Jane had enjoyed being part of the carney and having her all to himself. He'd have enjoyed a few more weeks of watching her body ripening so beautifully and pretending they were nothing more than another happy couple impatiently awaiting the birth of their first child. As it was, Red John had crimped his style yet again. "It's good to see you guys." Jane had already said his hellos and gotten his hugs in when he'd made two cups of tea in the break room a while ago.

"I see we're working a new case." Lisbon motioned towards a file as she rose to her feet revealing a reality well hidden behind her desk. The thickening of her waist lower front and center proclaimed the truth to her stunned team. The woman didn't gain weight and certainly never there.

"Is there something you want to tell us, Boss?" Van Pelt asked with a hint of disbelief in her eyes.

"Yeah. Jane knocked me up...Get that expression off your face, Cho. Things happen when Jane's involved no matter how careful you are." Lisbon said as she suddenly made a beeline out the door in the direction of the break room.

"Morning sickness." Jane supplied knowing she wasn't headed to steal Hampton's doughnuts in spite of wishing it was so but towards the ladies room to hurl instead. "Yes, Cho, I knocked your boss up and, since I'm marrying her, too, you might as well lose the look as she said." Jane said. "Lisbon won't let you do what she'd much prefer doing herself…so killing me is clearly off the table." And given the unpleasantness she was going through at the moment, she was probably seriously considering it.

Angela hadn't suffered like this. The fact a certain sorry state of affairs was only temporary was the only thing keeping him alive at the moment. That and Lisbon didn't want to raise a Baby Jane alone. That was a daunting prospect for anyone.

"What happened, Jane?" Cho asked still not satisfied with the other man's answer. Though he'd doubted it for a while, he'd hoped his boss had more sense than ever getting emotionally involved with Jane much less the rest of this. "The undercover get too real?"

Cho was fully aware of the emotional pitfalls of extended undercover Ops. He'd had some concerns about them being thrown together so intimately initially; but, given their long platonic past, he'd not expected Lisbon and Jane to fall into bed together. He'd certainly not expected the boss to get caught. Apparently, he was justified in his misgivings. It seemed even heroes could fall and Lisbon was only human.

Unfortunately, Jane was undeniably a very compelling man with his natural good looks and that dark, brooding intensity women seemed to find so devastating. Cho had thought the boss was no-nonsense enough not to fall for that whole mad, bad, and dangerous to know romantic hero vibe her consultant wore like a second skin. Unfortunately, the evidence said otherwise.

"No, Cho, the love did." Jane didn't flinch from the piercing gaze.

Cho might look as impassive as ever, but Jane knew he was carefully digesting his words. About the time he decided the other man was about to deck him, Cho gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head. He would take Jane's words at face value for the moment. But, if he had any reason to think he was lying….Jane nodded his own head silently acknowledging the implied threat reassuring Cho there was no reason for concern before turning to face Rigsby and Van Pelt.

"Rigsby, it's okay to smile at the thought Benjamin will have a playmate though I wouldn't let Lisbon see you do it right now. She's rather put out with both me and the Baby Jane at the moment." Jane said before addressing Van Pelt. "Grace quit wriggling like a happy puppy and join her if you want though I can't imagine why you would want to. It's a disgusting situation and Lisbon is usually nastier than a wet hen as she seems to consider all of this my fault. Maybe she'll be nicer to you."

"Shouldn't that be you?" Grace asked without thinking in spite of his words.

"It usually is; but, I don't think the other females at the CBI would appreciate my being in their personal domain." Jane smiled as Van Pelt scampered off towards the ladies room cutting off Cho's next comment. As for Grace, if the woman was as smart as he thought she was, she'd wait for Lisbon to exit the stall to have their girly moment.

"It _is_ your fault." Cho reminded Jane somehow absolutely convicted his words were true.

"Cho, all I'm going to say is it takes two to tango and Lisbon tangos very well so I'm not solely to blame for our happy predicament. And, no, I couldn't already have a ring on her finger. A marriage license rife with aliases isn't worth the paper it's printed on." Jane stated ignoring Rigsby's "I can't believe he said that look" and Cho's eye rolling snort. "Now, I'm going to sit here on Lisbon's couch to await her return. We have an appointment with Minelli then LaRoche at eleven.

Obviously, we've already met with Bertram. He gave us hell for our carelessness before deciding he could put a romantic spin on the whole PR nightmare and turn our impending bundle of joy to the CBI's advantage. It seems, in the right light, we're a real life fairy tale."

Ignoring Cho's second snort, Jane barreled on.

"Lisbon isn't too happy with having our private life made public; but, neither of us really have a choice. The upside is that they aren't going to try to split us up or fire us. The downside is if Red John didn't already know we were together like this and spawning, he certainly will now." The look on Cho's face said he had a feeling "spawn" was the right word to use.

While he had no doubts the tyke would be adorable, it would also be predominantly Jane. The Lisbon gene didn't stand a chance against that sneaky son of a gun. He almost felt sorry for his boss. Almost, until he reminded himself she'd a hand in their current state of affairs. In the final analysis, it served her right as Lisbon had clearly been willing to tangle between the sheets with the man he was staring at.

"Just so you know, I'll be taking her home once the meetings are done. I'm sure we'll both be more than finished for the day by then. The only reason we're here this early at all is Lisbon wanted to see you guys and so did I." And they wanted to reveal their secret to the team before someone else did.

Fortunately, Lisbon's unstructured jacket and a strategically placed box had done an adequate job of hiding her condition on their earlier walk through so her pregnancy hadn't fueled the gossip mill. Now that they'd seen Bertram and the team, she wasn't hiding anything. In fact, her jacket was now hanging over her chair where she'd left it before making her grand exit a few minutes ago.

The water cooler would be buzzing by the time she returned and everyone knew it. The down side was the mindless gossip was annoying and some of it was bound to be hurtful. The upside was they wouldn't have to go through that whole awkward breaking the truth moment with Minelli or LaRoche as they'd both already know. There was something to be said for that. Jane was torn from his thoughts as Lisbon and Van Pelt walked back in the room closing the door behind them.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked as he resisted the urge to take Lisbon into his arms and comfort her as he usually did. She wouldn't appreciate such an intimate gesture in front of her team though she loved it at home. Such gestures usually led to unmentionably delightful moments once her stomach settled.

Surprisingly, the look on Lisbon's face reversed his decision and Jane took her in his arms ignoring their startled audience as he rubbed her back soothingly. He'd learned fairly early on that the big, bad lady cop did not handle morning sickness well. Not the nasty kind she was suffering. She did not like being that out of control. Catching the team watching them over her head, Jane's look clearly conveyed they were only seeing such a moment because Lisbon wanted to show them exactly how things were between them.

Any misgivings they might have over the current state of affairs they needed to leave at home as they wouldn't be tolerated here. From the look on all three faces, Jane was reasonably sure there weren't any doubters left in the room. Lisbon did not do things like they'd just seen. She just didn't. That she had spoke volumes and who were they to fight it? If their boss felt like that about the man holding her and Jane returned those feelings, as he obviously did, who were they to question it? They were happy for them.

"I'm fine now. Sorry, guys, it's a perk of carrying Jane's kid." Lisbon said as she stepped away from Jane as though nothing untoward had happened. "A perk I hope doesn't last much longer." Lisbon admitted. "It's almost time to meet with Minelli and LaRoche." She said in a tone clearly conveying she wasn't looking forward to that as she reached for the cup of tea on her desk. Taking a sip, she decided what she always did: it wasn't good and it wasn't bad. But, it usually did a heck of a job on her morning sickness. She hoped it still settled her stomach given her churning thoughts.

Minelli was going to rip them a new one for going on the lam in the first place. Then he was going to rip them a second for sleeping together while they were on the lam. Then he was going to rip them a third for being so careless while on the lam. Then he was going to congratulate them on the Baby Jane. What else was the unofficial grandpa supposed to do? As for LaRoche, his reaction was probably going to be awkward and strangely creepy as he'd been when he'd told her he was leaving the CBI that first go around. Thoroughly creepy though Lisbon knew he'd meant well as she hoped he would this time too.

"Yes, Lisbon, it is." Jane agreed looking at his watch. "Do you want your jacket?"

"Why bother? It's not like this is a secret anymore." Lisbon rubbed her belly. "Johnson and Capelli were in the bathroom when I got there. It's not like it takes a rocket scientist to put two and two together and get four." Jane winced as she named two of the biggest gossips in the CBI. "It's not like I really care. We're back, we're together, and we have our team. It doesn't get any better than that so let them talk." Lisbon fixed her guys with a look daring them to react to anything they heard in the future.

She wasn't wasting her time breaking up scuffles around every corner and she didn't need any interoffice fights laid at her door. There was going to be enough trouble with the people trying to make something out of the fact she was involved with a member of her team to add fuel to the flames. It wasn't going to matter, as a consultant, Jane didn't fit neatly into the rules and regulations and he never had. For one thing, he was the only long term consultant they'd ever had. For another, he was the only consultant who'd ever been permanently assigned to a particular team and everyone knew the reason for that. Lisbon decided she wasn't going to sweat it. When push came to shove, Jane would win in the end as he always did.

"Then I'd suggest we get a move on or we're going to be late." Jane glanced at his watch realizing they had just long enough to walk down the hall to Minelli's office.

"See you later, guys." Lisbon led the way out of the office with more bravado than she felt.

She really wasn't looking forward to the upcoming conversation any more than Jane was. On second thought, Jane had enjoyed their earlier conversation with Bertram so Minelli should be a piece a cake. Lisbon wanted to smack him for it; but, she wouldn't. She was looking to him to handle the really difficult personal moments she knew were coming up. He might not be so willing if she peed him off.

Stopping outside of Minelli's office, Lisbon wasn't at all surprised to find the door open and her boss waving them inside. He was laying in wait as she'd known he would be. Closing the door behind them, Lisbon stepped forward to stand in front of her boss's desk with Jane beside her.

"Sit." Minelli watched them take the chairs he gestured towards and turned towards his Senior Agent deciding he'd deal with Jane later and in private. "Teresa, I don't know what to do with you. Not only do you leave when you shouldn't have and put everyone in a tight spot, but you come back with a bun in the oven and not just any bun. It had to be Jane's. I didn't see this one coming. Maybe I should have; but, I didn't. I knew you were close; just not that close." Minelli said. "I also thought you had more sense than that."

"But you're still going to be his Godfather?" Lisbon asked catching the hint of a smile her boss was trying so hard to hide.

"Do I have a choice?" Minelli asked seriously.

"No." Jane said for both of them.

"Then what do you think?" Minelli said the words everyone knew he didn't have to say.

"You can be the official grandfather, too, if you want. It's not like he has one to protest." Jane had no problem saying what Lisbon wouldn't. He hadn't had any contact with his father since he left the show and Teresa's father was long dead.

"I'd like that." Minelli admitted.

"Then it's official. He's got a grandpa Virgie." Jane ignored Minelli's pained expression at his words.

"So we know it's a boy?" Minelli asked ignoring the other man.

"Dr. Adams hasn't done a sonogram yet. But, Jane says he is." Lisbon fully expected the bark of laughter from her boss.

"If Jane says it's a boy, by all means paint the nursery blue." Minelli rolled his eyes openly in Jane's direction disbelieving the utter drivel coming out of an otherwise sane woman's mouth. He calmly reminded himself Lisbon obviously wasn't as sane as he'd thought to bed down with Patrick Jane in the first place.

"Actually, the walls will probably be boring off white with cobalt trim and cute little red accents as I think Lisbon has her heart set on blue and white gingham baby bedding with schooners and pirate ships instead of giraffes and flying monkeys as all little boys should have. I think the kid's going to be scarred for life before he's born." Jane lamented his airplane flying monkeys going down the drain.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon said.

They'd had this conversation fifteen times already. Jane wanted animals while she wanted navy blue embroidered gingham pirate ships. It was no secret who was going to get her way. She was the one with the ever expanding waistline carrying their precious cargo which entitled her to all of the perks. Deciding the nursery décor was one of them.

"Shush both of you. You're like a couple of bickering teenagers. You always have been. How you ever managed to make a kid between you is beyond me." Minelli cringed at the gleam in Jane's eye. "Do not answer that, Jane. It was a rhetorical statement. Not a question in need of an answer." Minelli silenced Jane before he could open his mouth.

"I was going to say in the usual way." Jane supplied.

"And I said I didn't want to know. That is not an image I need in my mind." Minelli wanted to drop his head in his hands.

No father wanted to think of his daughter having s-e-x even if she was fully grown and not really his child. Not with any man and especially never with Patrick Jane. Though, to be honest, for all his annoying habits and troublesome ways, Jane was a good man and he obviously doted on Lisbon and his child. She could do a lot worse and had. Hopefully, responsibility would curb some of her lover's impetuousness. Minelli could only dream. If it didn't, he could say that Lisbon was better equipped to handle her paramour than anyone else in the world.

"How's Mae and when are you going to make an honest woman out of her?" Jane asked feeling a certain responsibility for the woman's romantic welfare as he'd introduced them in the first place.

"Probably long before you make an honest woman out of Lisbon." Minelli snarked disapprovingly.

"I wouldn't bet on that." Jane quirked a brow back at Lisbon's questioning look. Surely she knew he hadn't put that ring on her finger for looks? It didn't matter the ring was actually on a chain around her neck.

"I guess we'll see. We were waiting for you guys to get home. Neither of us wanted to do it without you here. Jane introduced us as you know." Minelli said.

"And I'd say he did well in doing so." Lisbon said. "We're home now."

"And the ceremony will probably be very soon. You'll get your invitation in the mail." Minelli said.

"We'll be there." Lisbon promised.

"Now show me the ring you've got hidden somewhere." Minelli demanded.

"What makes you think there's a ring?" Lisbon inquired.

"The fact even Jane wouldn't dare intimate you were getting married if he hadn't already asked. You'd pound that insufferable smile right off his face." Minelli said. "Also, there's no way in hell he'd miss an opportunity to tell the world you're his with a splashy ring."

"How do you know I agreed?" Lisbon asked.

"Teresa, you were in too deep a long time ago. Whether anyone else saw it or not, I always knew if Jane ever reciprocated on those feelings you didn't know you had, this day would rapidly follow. I didn't expect the kid part, but the other was a given. In fact, I never realized you wanted children."

"I didn't." Lisbon carefully avoided Jane's eyes. "While I didn't have anything against the idea, given my job, my age, and my lifestyle, why would I think I'd ever have them? And why would I want something I never expected to have?" She had photographs of dogs on her desk where everyone else had people for goodness sake.

"What changed your mind?" Minelli asked hoping everything was as it seemed and they hadn't simply gotten caught.

"Could you imagine Jane never being a father again?" Lisbon asked honestly. "I've always known any woman he got involved with would have to want the same thing. When we realized the direction things were heading, I had to give serious thought to the idea of having children. The idea grew on me over time. And while this certainly wasn't planned and we could have picked better timing, it's not the end of the world either. I can honestly say I'm looking forward to being a mother." Lisbon patted the slight swell of her tummy. "Not to the nasty symptoms, but to having a family with Jane."

"Then I won't worry about you. I think you're both in good hands." Minelli breathed a sigh of relief although the situation _was_ exactly as he'd thought.

They'd been making up for lost time banging like bunnies and they'd gotten caught. But, the aftermath was much better than he'd anticipated. Lisbon was such a terrible liar he'd have seen right through her. It was very clear she was fine with being pregnant and no one needed to ask how Jane felt. The man was beaming with masculine pride both that Lisbon returned his affections and that they were having a child together. What could have been bad was obviously good as long as Red John stayed out of the equation. Not that anyone expected he would.

"Yeah, Virgil, I'd say we are." Wrapping his arms around Lisbon, Jane seconded Minelli's opinion. "Show him your ring, Lisbon."

"Nice and simple like Lisbon. Nothing too big or flashy which we both know she wouldn't like; but, classic and expensive like the woman you purchased it for. You did well, Jane." Minelli said approvingly not doubting for one minute that ring was already paid for. He did not want to think about who Jane had to swindle to get that kind of dough. Or maybe he'd gotten it without cheating. Jane was savvy enough to win a poker game without underhanded means. The only question was if he would choose to.

"You're giving her away when the time comes." Jane stated firmly.

"If that's what she wants." Minelli agreed.

"That's what she wants." Jane state in no uncertain terms.

"Teresa?" Minelli turned towards Lisbon.

"Yeah, Virgil, that's what I want." She wouldn't have it any other way.

"What about your brothers?" Minelli asked.

"I can't pick one over the other. Besides, I never imagined anyone but you if this day ever came. So, yeah, I want you to give me away. Jane does too." Lisbon nodded at her words.

"You know I'll do it. Let me know when." Minelli was surprised to find himself anticipating a day he honestly hadn't believed would ever come.

Not for Teresa Lisbon. He'd known it would take a special man to snare her and while Jane was undeniably "special," Minelli wasn't sure how he felt about the situation unfolding before him. Undeniably happy they'd found each other; yet, trepidatious over everything coming with their togetherness. Between her lover, their child, and a certain serial killer, his protégée had a hard road to hoe before her. Jane and his child were enough for any woman without all the rest. As for Lisbon, he was sure she could handle it in the end.

"It won't be any time soon. We have business to settle first." Lisbon said as she rose to her feet with Jane behind her. Minelli smiled evilly at the thought if a certain golden haired consultant thought he had it that easy, he had another think coming. It wasn't happening that way.

"Jane, stay. We need to talk. Teresa, I'll see you later." Virgil's tone brooked no refusal.

Casting a glance in Jane's direction, Lisbon caught his almost imperceptible nod before she headed for the door. If he was fine with the uncomfortable talk they both knew was coming, she was fine, too. Nodding at Minelli, she opened the door and left Jane to his fate.

#

"Do not get any ideas, Jane. We aren't beating Virgil to the altar." Lisbon looked up as Jane walked into her office a half hour later with a smile on his face. "We have a serial killer to catch first."

Looking at that devilish grin, she couldn't help smiling back. Jane seemed to have survived the dressing down and fatherly threats Minelli had given him with flying colors. He looked none the worse for the wear. For all she knew, they were going fishing bright and early on Saturday morning. It certainly wouldn't surprise her at all and she might even join them. The one thing she'd learned over the years was to expect the unexpected where Jane was concerned.

"Do we? I think not, Lisbon. Red John will still be out there lurking on the fringes as he's always been; but, our son is going to be born in a few short months. I'd like us to be married before that happens."

Jane's mind flowed back on his conversation with Virgil. Once he'd gotten past the dressing down for being so irresponsible and putting Teresa in this predicament, the man had made a lot of sense. And, yes, they were going fishing bright and early on Saturday morning and Lisbon wasn't invited. It seemed there was still a thing or two they still needed to discuss. Like exactly when he intended to make an honest woman out of the mother of his child.

"I know the good little Catholic in you would like that, too, so don't try to dismiss all of this." Jane said knowingly.

"Why would I dismiss the truth? You know me too well." Lisbon asked. "But you know what _they'll _say?" Lisbon could already hear the vicious buzz cutting through the CBI.

"Lisbon, most of our co-workers will be happy for us. Do we really care what a few bitter souls slithering around in dark corners whisper to hear themselves speak? The people who matter already know the truth or they'll figure it out soon enough." Jane comforted her thinking of Cho.

"What truth is that?" Lisbon demanded.

"The truth that says marrying you has nothing to with our son and everything to do with I'm an old-fashioned man. Old fashioned men get married. They don't shack up. Not with the woman they're spending forever with. Besides, I like being married and I want to marry you. I have for a while. Long before I consciously realized it and long before there was a child between us." Even when he'd been too far gone in his guilt and grief to ever consider such a thing, Jane had been drawn to Lisbon. He'd found great comfort in her presence and known, had such a thing been possible, he'd have found her as attractive physically as he found her personality.

"I want to marry you, too." Not because she was pregnant…because she loved him. And she'd like to do it sooner than later exactly as he'd said.

"I know." Jane agreed confidently.

"Do you?" Lisbon teased wondering why she'd fallen for such an arrogant so and so.

"Yeah, I do. Just because we don't say it a lot doesn't mean we don't love each other. I'd say our actions have spoken much louder that those three little words proving meaningless in far too many cases ever could." Jane observed thinking about all the years they'd wasted because neither of them could see past Red John.

"I'd say so." Lisbon agreed.

"But, in case you need to hear the words again, I do love you, Teresa. I have for a long time." Jane admitted yet again.

"I know, and I love you, too." Lisbon found she liked the way those particular words tripped off her tongue almost as much as she enjoyed hearing them.

"Good. Now that's taken care of, what do you say we blow this joint?" Jane easily dismissed their earlier conversation. "We'll pick this discussion back up at home."

"Sounds like a plan. Your kid is hungry, what do you say we swing through one of those burger joints on the way to our first appointment and get a bite?" Lisbon suggested.

"I think we can do better than that. I know a nice restaurant where we can have a quiet corner booth, enjoy a good meal, and some quality together time. What do you say?" They still had a couple of hours to kill before their first appointment with Connie.

"That I like your plan better?" Lisbon asked.

"I thought you might." Jane agreed as he escorted her out the door past the deserted bullpen. The guys must have stepped out to get a bite which was no big deal as they'd already said their good-byes for the day. They'd see the gang at the usual time in the morning anyway.

Fortunately, mostly deserted seemed to be the state of the CBI at the moment as it usually was around lunch time. The handful of agents milling about weren't giving them a second glance as they were too wrapped up in the cases they were working. Had the office gossips not been out to lunch, it would have been a different story. There would have been a well-timed confrontation or two. As it was, they made it to the elevator and out the front door without incident.

#

Sliding in the booth, Lisbon smirked as Jane slid in behind her opening his menu along the way. The man was hungry and he was making no bones about it. At least he'd brought her to a nice restaurant instead of a drive thru as she'd suggested. Actually a Greek diner they'd been to once before a good while back. A "diner" complete with romantic lighting, soft fabric table clothes, fancy mahogany wainscoting, excellent service, and delicious food. Somehow, the name didn't fit the interior. There was nothing greasy or casual about the place in the manner one usually thought of diners. According to Jane, Niko's had started it's life as exactly the kind of place she could imagine forty years ago and grown into the beautiful restaurant surrounding her. The ambiance might have changed; but, the familiar name never did.

Gazing around her, Lisbon recalled she'd met Jane here about nine o'clock on a Friday night to celebrate the closing of a particularly onerous case a good while back. If she wasn't wrong, they'd sat in this same booth passing a pleasant couple of hours sharing a bottle of red wine and gorging on sampler platters. The moussaka, spinach pie, and beef stuffed grape leaves had been divine. She'd finished her meal with baklava and espresso much to Jane's surprise. He'd told her she wouldn't sleep for a week; but, he'd been wrong. That no one knew they hung out on occasion, or that they'd done so for years, was their special secret. She'd even visited Jane's "place" a few times just as he'd visited hers if she wanted to consider his hotel room his place.

As for that memorable night a while back, she'd had a good time. A really good time in ways she'd not expected. Jane had been surprising touchy feely, flirty, and, being in one of those rare wine fueled "what the hell" moods, she'd reciprocated. In the end, the evening had felt too much like a date to be entirely comfortable for either of them. She'd found it more confusing than anything else. What Jane was thinking, she hadn't known nor had she really cared. He'd simply walked her out to her car at the end of the evening, kissed her forehead in a far from romantic way, and sent her merrily on her way. As strangely disappointing as she'd found the encounter, that was as far as it went leaving her feeling strangely incomplete.

The next day it was business as usual to her relief. She'd eventually put her feelings down to misreading the cues. It wasn't like she hadn't done that before…many times. Jane was a complex man and he could be confusing at times. Even for her. In the end, there had been nothing between them but the usual friendship they'd had for years and she'd been glad of it.

Now, Lisbon suspected her initial impressions were right. Jane had been testing the waters in his peculiar Jane way if the present was an accurate indicator of the past. And it might be. Then again, she could be way off base. She never really knew with Jane until it was too late.

"Do you remember the night I met you here?" Lisbon picked at the stem of her water glass as Jane gave their waiter an order for a cup of tea.

As she'd already had her tummy tea before they left the office, her glass of lemon water was fine. Maybe she'd order a cup of decaf with dessert. She wasn't about to leave this place without a slice of one of their home made cakes or pies even if she suffered the consequences later.

"Do you honestly think I'd forget our first date?" Jane placed his hand on top of hers to stop the distracting movements.

"It wasn't a date." Lisbon corrected him.

"I asked you out and you accepted. We spent a couple of pleasant hours that had nothing to do with work, shared a bottle of wine, and a delicious meal all of which I paid for. I walked you to your car and gave you a kiss. That sounds like a date to me." Jane took a sip of water.

"On the forehead, Jane, you kissed me right here." Lisbon pointed to the spot above her temple.

"Neither of us was ready for a real kiss, Teresa, and you know it. But, we were heading in the right direction. Unfortunately, we were interrupted a couple of times along the way." Jane reminded her.

"I suppose we were. So you'd have asked me out again?" Lisbon turned her nervous attention to the cloth napkin by her plate.

"I had every intention of doing so and you'd have known exactly what I was asking when I did." Jane told her quietly. "Unfortunately, my obsession with Lorelei and yours with Rafferty interfered for a while."

"I suppose they did." Lisbon agreed.

"They most definitely did; but, it was for the best. It would have been harder to pull off the great escape had we been intimately involved before all of this happened." Jane said unfolding her abused napkin and placing it neatly on her lap. "Stop with the foolishness, Lisbon. We've been heading in this direction for years and now that we've arrived, let's enjoy the moment as much as we can."

Deciding Jane was right, Lisbon flipped her menu open. "What do you think we should order?"

"Whatever you find appealing. I'm having the Greek chicken and potatoes." Jane said knowing Lisbon would settle for something like a light soup and steal bites from his plate which was perfectly fine as there would be more than enough for both of them.

"That sounds good." Lisbon agreed already deciding to relieve him of a few bites as she was settling for Avgolemono soup to be on the safe side.

Jane's kid liked the strangest things that made no sense and she knew immediately what he didn't as it wasn't staying down. The trick seemed to be in how much she ate as much as it was in what she ate. And like his father, their son had particular tastes. Yes, she knew that thought was totally irrational and had nothing to do with reality; but, it made her feel better to think such crazy things. It gave a tangible reason for the nightmare she was currently living through. Yes, while she knew it could be worse, her morning sickness was more virulent than the norm and definitely bad enough.

Motioning their waiter over, Jane ordered his salad with the dressing on the side as he knew Lisbon would be picking at his Kalamata olives and feta cheese as soon as it arrived before adding her soup and his chicken to the tab. He wasn't disappointed a few minutes later when his salad was set before him and Lisbon dive-bombed his plate. Gently slapping her hand away, he dropped a generous portion of the brownish olives and feta cubes on her bread plate before dribbling dressing over the rest of his salad. She wouldn't touch his food now as there was some spice in vinaigrettes making her decidely nauseous.

"That wasn't very nice." Lisbon stuck an olive with her fork.

"It wasn't very nice of you to try to steal all of my olives." Jane took a bite of pepperoncini deciding it was a tad warmer than he liked.

"I was after the feta cheese." Lisbon corrected him.

"You can't have all of that either." Jane watched her spear a cube with her fork and carry it to her lips.

"Be that way." Lisbon reached for her spoon as Michael sat her small bowl of lemony chicken soup in front of her and Jane's chicken in front of him.

"Minelli's right. We sound like a couple of bickering teenagers." Jane said as he placed a potato on her bread plate.

"We don't have to. I'm pregnant, Jane, all you have to do to keep the peace is give me what I want." Lisbon said reasonably as she cut the crusty potato he'd given her.

"That's so mature, Teresa." Jane couldn't help smiling as he placed a sliver of chicken breast on her plate as well.

"I guess it is; but, you know I'm right or you wouldn't be sharing your chicken and potatoes. You'd have made me get my own." Lisbon smiled back before spooning soup into her mouth.

"And you'd try to eat it all and get violently ill. I don't think so. Besides, food always tastes better when it's shared." Jane said as he cut a potato and offered it to her.

Taking the nibble from his fork, and deciding she'd had enough, Lisbon turned her attention to her soup occasionally glancing over to watch Jane carefully cutting his chicken. As much as she wished she could join him, she'd had enough to eat and she wasn't about to push it. She was enjoying herself too much to blow it making a glutton of herself.

Setting his knife and fork aside a few minutes later, Jane caught the glint in Lisbon's eye meaning she wanted to talk but she wasn't forcing the issue.

"What's on your mind, Teresa?" He opened the door for the conversation she seemed hesitant to start.

"I don't want to ruin our meal, but there are things we need to discuss." Lisbon's gaze didn't waver.

"I know. He's out there and he's up to something. We both know it." Jane agreed with her while perusing the dessert menu. The one thing his kid didn't seem to mind was sweets which was as incongruous as it seemed. He preferred fruit while Lisbon, like many cops, enjoyed her pastries and apparently the Baby Jane did, too.

"We're not back in our old jobs because the guys solved the case on their own. You-know-who has been toying with the evidence for weeks. Once I started to show the tiniest bit, getting us home happened much too fast. The only conclusion I can draw is we're here because Red John wants to up the ante." Lisbon said as she peeked over his shoulder deciding a slice of ginger cheesecake might taste good.

"I totally agree." Jane said as he motioned their waiter over to order that slice of ginger cheesecake Lisbon was salivating over. She didn't have to tell him what she wanted. He already knew as he'd seen where her eyes kept resting and knew he'd be finishing it for her.

Lisbon felt a cold chill as his nonchalant response drove home exactly how closely they were being watched without consciously realizing it.

She was still at that "is she or isn't she" indeterminate stage to the general public and the monster had already figured out she was pregnant. All he'd had to do was get to someone on the inside of the clinic to confirm her pregnancy and the jig was up. That was probably what he'd had one of his henchmen do. Get some gullible member of the staff to give up the goods. It happened all the time. Red John probably knew exactly how far along she was as well.

"I agree. The Baby Jane changes everything. Our child and the ring that isn't on your finger revealed the truth he hadn't counted on. Red John wanted to bring us together only to watch us fall apart once the threat was over. He had it all planned out and I don't have any doubts he could have done it. Unfortunately, the unanticipated happened and he knows our child is something neither of us will ever give up without more of a battle than he wants to fight." Jane said quietly.

"You honestly think he could have split us up?" Lisbon stared at him in open disbelief.

"I know he could have. In any number of ways and I'm sure he had a whole list of backup plans if the first few failed. I'm also sure most of them involved another woman and unsavory situations I'd just happen to fall into not of my own accord. The kinds of things you would never overlook or forgetive.

Don't forget, if Red John could frame you for murder, he could certainly frame me for infidelity." Jane pointed out.

"And you think I would believe that?" Lisbon took a sip of water.

"Under the right circumstance, I don't think you'd have any choice." Jane said quietly reminding Lisbon that people who would have sworn she wasn't capable of murder had changed their minds when given compelling enough evidence. "And when you did, Red John would have succeeded in his goal. Fortunately, it didn't happen that way. He wanted to destroy me from the inside out and he failed largely due to circumstances beyond our control." Jane reminded her.

"So why bring us back at all? Why not make it impossible to return?" Lisbon asked.

"Because you're far more vulnerable here in Sacramento than you would have been with the wagon trains circled. Carneys protect their own and you're an honorary carney now. He would be hard put to get to you with someone always watching." Jane reminded her of what she already knew.

"You're scaring me, Jane." Lisbon bit her lip as Michael set her cheesecake in front of her.

"Good. Make no mistake, Lisbon. I'm scared. I'm very scared and you should be, too." Jane responded once their waiter was out of hearing range.

"I am." Lisbon took a bite of cheesecake pleased to find it was as delicious as she'd hoped it would be.

"Good. While I'm not going to let anything happen, you've got to help me protect you." Jane said as he sliced his own bit of cheesecake with his fork. "No more being the brave lady cop rushing in where angels fear to tread. We don't know who might be waiting around the corner with nasty intentions and a knife or a gun." Jane said quietly. "I don't want you or our son in any more danger than you have to be."

"When you put it that way, I don't have much of a choice do I?" Lisbon lifted her glass to her lips.

"No, you don't…especially not now." Jane removed his hand from the table top leaving a plastic evidence bag encased square of paper behind.

"What the hell is that?" Lisbon asked knowing full well what she was looking at.

"The calling card left on your desk while you were chatting with LaRoche and I was making tea." Jane answered calmly pocketing the nasty little reminder Red John was watching their every move.

"That's exactly like the one that was slipped under my napkin that night." Lisbon refused to tremble remembering all that came later.

"Yes, it is. He wants us to know exactly who arranged your freedom." Jane calmly said aware that Lisbon was already wondering if they were about to find another body and knowing it wouldn't surprise either of them if they did.

"It's not like either of us could forget." Lisbon stated hating that stupid square and everything it stood for more and more with every passing minute.

"Teresa, nothing's really changed from how it's been since Rafferty was killed except our location. For sanity's sake, I'm going to suggest we keep doing what we've been doing all this time. Living our lives and ignoring he's out there.

Not forgetting or pretending he isn't; but, not letting him stop us from doing what needs to be done." Jane watched her take a second bite of cheesecake, set her fork aside, and inch the half filled plate in his direction as she was clearly done.

"Meaning?" Lisbon asked before taking a sip of water.

"We have a wedding to plan, a house to find, a son to birth, and a serial killer to catch. That sounds like a full plate for anyone. I'd say all that matters is we get them all done and not so much the order in which we do them." Jane patted her hand in what should have been a patronizing gesture but Lisbon found comforting instead.

"I don't want Red John out there to threaten our family." Lisbon said quietly.

"Neither do I; but, if it happens that way, it happens. We're still going to stop him before any damage is done. We're nearing the end of the game, Lisbon. I can feel it. I just don't know when and I can't promise you it'll happen before he's born." Jane said honestly.

"I hope you're right." Lisbon said quietly.

"I am." Jane promised. "In the meantime, we need to get ready to meet Constance. I know you're going to like one of the houses she's selected." Jane steered the conversation into more pleasant waters.

"While I don't appreciate you changing the topic, I'll bite. Why am I going to like any of the houses your friend has picked?" Lisbon shifted on the bench to fix Jane with a piercing stare.

"Connie is gifted at matching her clients with the perfect property." Jane said.

"While that may be true, that's not the reason. You've already decided one of those houses is it and you're determined to make me feel that way, too." Lisbon called him on it.

"Maybe." Jane admitted.

"You probably already have the furnishings in mind as well." Lisbon snarked.

"Maybe." Jane saw no reason to lie.

"What if I don't like the house you've picked? I'm not going to live in a house I don't like so you can get that thought right out of your head." Lisbon made herself perfectly clear.

"I don't expect you to. As I haven't seen every house Connie is going to show us, there's nothing to say I won't like one of the houses you pick." Jane said reasonably.

"As long as we're perfectly clear then I guess it's okay." Lisbon agreed.

"Trust me, My Dear, it's perfectly clear." Jane said fighting a grin that Lisbon thought she had the upper hand. "We need to pay and get a move on or we're going to be late." They'd spent longer discussing Red John than they should have and they still had a half hour drive ahead of them.

"I think I'll take a nap while you drive." Lisbon said as she rose to her feet missing Jane's knowing smirk.

The little woman was going to be royally p.o.'d when she realized her need for more frequent naps was coinciding with her return to work. He'd have to let the team know they'd need to cover for her as Lisbon wasn't comfortable with any show of weakness. She'd certainly get upset if the rumor mill kept buzzing she slept on the job.

"You do that. We have a good half hour before we get to the first house and you're going to need your strength. Connie moves fast." Not as fast as Lisbon bringing down a perp; but, fast enough.

"Shush, Jane, I can handle a Real Estate Agent." Lisbon said as she watched him pay their bill.

"Connie's about six feet tall without her heels with gazelle legs up to here." Jane gestured somewhere in the vicinity of his chest as he watched Lisbon's eyes narrowing at his words. "So I'm not sure you can." He continued to tease.

"Please." Lisbon snorted as she walked through the door towards Jane's car. "I can take old gazelle legs I'm sure."

"That's right, you ran track in school. Team captain if I remember correctly." Jane said as he opened the car door for her. "Connie did the same."

Lisbon fixed him with a glare and snorted again.

"Wait a minute. I'm wrong. That was Connie's sister the doctor. Connie worked the beauty pageant circuit for a number of years. She made it all the way to first runner-up to Miss California." Jane said as he stuck his key in the ignition and gave it a twist.

"She's pretty, so what?" Lisbon groused.

"Quite the pretty blonde, Lisbon: but, not to my tastes. I seem to lean toward petite brunettes with temper issues." Jane pulled onto the highway heading towards the first address on his list.

"You didn't seem to have any problem with Amber." Lisbon snarked as she settled in her seat.

"Who was really the same petite brunette in disguise. Go to sleep, Lisbon. I shouldn't have riled you up." Jane laughed out loud negating his apology. He honestly didn't care. A riled Lisbon was so cute.

"No, you shouldn't have." Lisbon huffed deciding a wicked Jane was devastating. "The Baby Jane doesn't like it."

"You're feeling okay?" Jane said seriously as he turned to glance at her wondering if she'd tell him if she weren't.

"Shush, Jane, I'm fine. Keep your eyes on the road." Lisbon said as she closed her eyes deciding she actually felt better than she had in a while; but, Jane didn't have to know that. "Junior just wanted to remind you it's not nice to tease pregnant women. Especially his mommy."

She'd also had a couple of uncomfortable moments wondering exactly what kind of relationship Jane and "Connie" had. Or they'd had in the past. She really didn't want to know. And while she believed Jane that she'd been nothing but the means to an end, the whole Lorelei incident had unsettled her more than she was willing to admit. It still did at times. She'd not thought Jane had it in him and she'd been wrong.

"Don't call him Junior, Teresa. We've had this discussion before. We're not naming our son Patrick under any circumstances." Jane quietly reminded her.

"Fine. We won't. All that matters is your son doesn't like being teased so much." Lisbon agreed to disagree in her mind but that was an argument for another day.

"Go to sleep, Teresa. We have a lot of walking to do." Jane said as he turned off the interstate and glanced in her direction again not at all surprised to find that she already was. Probably drooling, too, but he wasn't looking that closely. He'd find it much to cute.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: This chapter will get a more thorough edit tomorrow when I'm not getting ready for work. ~Calla

#

Checking in with the honest to goodness _human_ manning the guard house, Jane nodded as he was motioned through. That had been one of the stipulations he'd demanded, a manned guard in the guard house. All the computerized security and surveillance in the world didn't help when a monster could get around it as Red John most certainly could. Not that he thought security guards were _that_ much better as anyone could be bribed; but, he liked the idea better than the other. Besides, he intended to do a little covert hypnotizing the first chance he got once their choice was made and they settled in. While he might not be able to totally head off a certain serial killer when the time came, he could certainly make any attack he had in mind more difficult to instigate.

Pulling in front of the contemporary house reminding him too much of Malibu, Jane killed the engine. Connie was off on this one though he'd give it a chance in case this was the one Lisbon wanted. Somehow, he thought she might feel the same as he did…a definite no-go for a lot of reasons.

"You've got to be kidding me." Lisbon said opening her eyes as she felt the car come to halt. "This is so far out of our price range it's not funny."

"Trust me, it's not." Jane corrected her very conscious of what he wanted and how much he was willing to spend. "None of the houses Connie sent over are out of our price range. Comfortably on the higher end of the scale perhaps; but, nothing we can't easily handle…Perhaps more house than you're comfortable contemplating at the moment… but, we'll need all the room in the end." Jane made no move to exit the car as he patted her tummy instead amused to get a dirty look for his trouble.

"Is that your way of saying you want another of these?" Lisbon rubbed her slight tummy.

"Maybe, we'll see." Jane said studying the house through the windshield and deciding it wasn't as bad as he'd felt initially although they could do better.

"I've got two or three good years left so you better move fast." Lisbon wanted to smack her hands over her mouth as soon as the words were uttered.

Jane didn't need any ideas or encouragement. He got enough of those on his own without any. Besides, she had a feeling she wouldn't have much of a choice if he decided he wanted another kid anyway. She certainly hadn't this go around though it wasn't all Jane's fault. She'd hardly been kicking him out of bed.

"When, and if, we decide to have another one that would be nice. If we don't, it doesn't really matter. I'm perfectly happy with this one." Jane kissed her hand before opening his car door to let a little air circulate as they were early and Connie still wasn't here.

"We still can't afford this place." Lisbon reiterated.

"Teresa, let me worry about our finances and I assure you we can. I'll call in one of the three open offers on Malibu and sell the house if necessary. But, it isn't." Jane reassured her knowing Lisbon was thinking back over that million dollar bail.

Just because he'd chosen to earn that money the good, old fashioned way in a poker game didn't mean he'd had to. He could have easily gotten his hands on the money from his bank accounts. He hadn't wanted to as he hadn't been willing to expose certain secrets to people he didn't want in the know. Why else would he be willing to give away all those vast sums of ill gotten gain over the years if he didn't have other sources of revenue. He certainly wouldn't have been so willing to do so had he been living on a CBI consultant's salary. Well, he had been living on his salary, but he'd been doing so by choice. Not because he had to. He just hadn't cared about material things until he started building a life with Lisbon.

Now that he was, things were different. He still wasn't exposing secrets better left unknown, but he was accessing his "operating capital" account to buy their home and pay the recurring bills accompanying such a purchase. It was the same account he used to maintain Malibu as he fully intended to sell it once Red John was caught and always had. It wouldn't do to allow the empty house to fall into disrepair or get vandalized in the interim.

Glancing over at Lisbon, Jane knew he'd have to come even more clean with her than he had when he'd bought the RV and truck. While hardly rich by the standards of someone like Walter Mashburne or Connie even, he and Lisbon could turn their backs on the CBI right now and live very comfortably the rest of their lives without ever hitting a lick at a snake if they wanted to. They could do that and still leave their son set for life. She just didn't know it and no one else did either.

That was the way Jane wanted it. Given the way Lisbon's life had been turned inside out and upside down, he was glad he hadn't revealed the truth somewhere along the way over the years. Because he hadn't, he'd been able to utilize funds no one knew he had. Exactly the way he was going to write a nice fat check for their house. Well, more like a bank transfer; but, who was quibbling over the finer points. Lisbon would know about their operating account; but, she'd never know about the rest unless it became necessary. Not because he didn't trust _her _but because of all the other forces at work against them.

"You'd sell Malibu?" Lisbon hadn't expected him to say that and she certainly didn't want him doing any such thing.

"If I need to I will. Or if you want me to I will." Jane answered honestly.

"I don't want you to." Lisbon said. She didn't want anything to do with the house; but, she didn't want him to sell it either. It still meant something to Jane. Perhaps after Red John was done…. "If we needed the money it would be one thing; but, you've reassured me that we don't and I trust you."

"We don't." Jane stated confidently.

"Then keep the house until you're ready to let it go." It wasn't like he went there often anymore anyways. Or that it had any place in their lives. "It looks like your friend is pulling up." Lisbon motioned in the direction of the black luxury sedan pulling up the drive.

"That's definitely Connie." Jane said as he exited the car and walked around to open Lisbon's door and draw her to her feet.

Taking one look at the long, elegant drink of water unfolding from the seat and walking gracefully towards them, Lisbon felt short and dumpy in comparison. Tamping down on her emotions, she turned her attentions to the other woman as Jane introduced them deciding Constance Steinhold would make any woman feel insecure from the top of her perfect French Twist to the tailored black business suit with the becoming teal silk blouse bringing out her blue-green eyes to the tips of her designer pump shod toes. Her one saving grace was her friendly demeanor and the laughter openly dancing in her eyes. Life was good for the woman and it showed on her countenance.

Resisting the urge to react in an unbecoming way to unwelcome scrutiny, Lisbon forced herself to remain passive as Connie openly sized her up just as thoroughly as she'd done her. As much as she resented the truth, turnabout was only fair in this instance and she knew exactly what the other woman was seeing: a petite dark haired cop wearing her black power suit complete with a vivid red top and sensible boots. Her one saving grace was her makeup looked nice and her hair was shiny. Other than that, she felt woefully inadequate and she didn't like the feeling.

There was just something about confronting Jane's before life that left her disconcerted. And though he'd said nothing to indicate it was true, she somehow knew Constance Steinhold was very much a part of his before life. She could sense it from their interactions. They were much too comfortable to have casually met over an earlier house hunting expedition. Turning her attention back to Jane and Constance, she noted that the other woman had extended her hand in greeting.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Teresa." Lisbon smiled and shook the hand so confidently offered noting the way Connie's eyes lighted on the engagement ring on her finger. "You've done well, Patrick. I have a feeling Teresa has your number." She winked at Lisbon conspiratorially as though it was them against Jane.

"Lisbon has my number all right. It's no secret who wears the pants in the family and it isn't me." Jane smirked at the answering snort from his beloved at his remark.

"That's how it should be." Constance responded as she led them up the walkway. "If you'll follow me we'll see what this place has to offer. The interior is very open and spacious while the windows ensure it remains light and airy."

Taking Lisbon's hand in his, Jane rolled his eyes as his old friend launched into classic sales speak forgetting for a moment he knew her too well to be manipulated by such ploys. While the house was very nice and really nothing like Malibu beyond its contemporary wood styling and abundant windows, it had a similar feel that neither he nor Lisbon found appealing. Though they would humor Constance and give it a fair shake, this wasn't their house in any way, shape, or form. They both knew it as their Agent did twenty minutes later as they made their way back down the drive.

Escorting Constance to her car while discussing the attributes of their next viewing, Jane agreed that it sounded more their speed as he closed her door. Walking Lisbon to the passenger side of his car, Jane got her comfortably settled and belted in before walking to the driver's side and opening the door. As much as Lisbon protested his little attentions and grumbled, "Bite me." on a regular basis, he knew she secretly enjoyed all the fuss. She was enough of a girly girl under all that tomboy bluster to appreciate how thoroughly she was loved. Closing the door behind him and turning the key in the ignition, Jane waited in the deafening silence knowing there was something Lisbon wanted to say.

"Connie was Angela's friend." Lisbon stated emphatically as she wallowed into a more comfortable position in her seat.

"The art gallery every Thursday at one followed by afternoon tea at three…usually at our place." Jane confirmed as he backed out of the driveway. "Angela was a talented artist as well as a pianist. She had a healthy following of her work by the time she died. Some of her paintings are worth quite a bit now." Jane continued divulging information he'd never shared with his eyes pointedly focused straight ahead and Lisbon let him soaking up knowledge she'd never expected to hear. "She painted portraits, seascapes, and gardens. Not that lame sea gull and dune infested garbage. Her works had soul."

"Angela was a professional artist?" Lisbon hadn't read that in her file and wondered how such a thing could have been missed.

For all anyone knew, Red John might have been one of her patrons. He might have known both she and Jane very well exactly as Lorelei had said. That thought was too horrible to contemplate and Lisbon prayed that it wasn't so. It would, however, suggest how their killer had gotten in without leaving any signs of b & e behind. Angela may have opened the door to him unwittingly. She wasn't going to think about it.

"Her canvases flew off the wall as fast as they were put out and she had more portrait commissions than she could handle. Angela was only willing to work a set number of hours a day as she had our daughter to tend so her work was limited. That made her offerings all the more sought after in appropriate circles." Jane admitted. "She also painted most of the old time carneys you know when we were all a lot younger." Jane smiled at the memories of watching the young girl indulging her favorite passion with a skill far beyond her years. He still had those portraits locked away in a climate controlled warehouse in Malibu. "I'll get them out of storage one day and show you. I think you'll get a kick out of seeing how Pete looked twenty years ago. And if you think Smokey Joe's a nice looking man for his age now, you should have seen him back then. He would have knocked your socks off. Then there was Mattie in her glory days before she got so consumed by the cards. She looked like everyone's fantasy of a beautiful young gypsy complete with outrageous jewelry and flowing raven hair. She's but a shadow of the woman she used to be when she was the draw of the carney circuit." Jane turned to look at her having regained control of emotions threatening to spiral out of control.

His late wife's works had always moved him even had her memory ceased to move him which it hadn't. However, that didn't mean he wanted the woman currently in his life to know the degree of feeling he still bore his long dead family. Not that she didn't know, or really minded, but it would hurt her just the same and that was something he wouldn't allow. Angela and Charlotte Anne were his past. Lisbon and his son were his present and his future. And while they couldn't help but overlap at times, they were decidedly separate. He had to keep them that way.

"I'd like that, Jane, I really would." Lisbon rubbed her stomach as she felt a slight flutter she wished could share with Jane; but, there wasn't anything for him to feel. For all she knew it could be gas; but, she preferred thinking it was Patrick making his presence known. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility as she was far enough along.

"What's going on, Teresa?" She didn't look uncomfortable or sick but he never knew.

"He's making butterfly flutters right here." Lisbon placed her hand over her stomach biting her tongue to keep from calling him "Patrick" as she didn't want to start that heated "discussion" again.

"Thank you for sharing that with me." Jane smiling suppressing the overwhelming urge to push her hand aside and place his hand where she indicated knowing it was too soon to feel anything external.

"You're welcome…Why didn't you tell me, Jane?" Lisbon asked the question at the front of her mind.

"Tell you what?" Jane pretended ignorance.

"That Constance Steinhold was Angela's friend." Lisbon called him on the act.

"I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable meeting her. Connie is an attractive, pleasant woman I've known a long time and nothing more. Her husband, Harold, is an acquaintance as well. Or he used to be a long time ago." Jane kept his eyes on the black car in front of him as he wasn't quite sure how to get where they were going from here.

"Crap, Jane, you really should have said something. She's married to Senator Steinhold." As the pieces suddenly clicked together in her mind, Lisbon wanted to kick herself for not realizing that from the start. "They used to live in Malibu; but, they moved to Sacramento a few years ago when he took office."

"Yes, she is; but, that doesn't change the fact she's still a nice girl or that he's a surprisingly decent man as well. Far more honorable than politicians usually are." Jane said.

"You're friends with a Senator?" Lisbon resisted the urge to roll her eyes in disbelief.

"That term might be a little strong at the moment. Let's just say I know a lot of people from before. I don't know that I would call any of them "friends" as I haven't stayed in touch with most of them. Acquaintances, yes, and people owing me favors never claimed perhaps. Friends, for the most part, no, though I think Constance and Harold could be." Jane admitted remembering how warmly he'd been received by the woman from the start.

"Clients?" Lisbon's curiosity got the best of her.

"Some were; but, not all of them. Most were just people who liked us, Lisbon. Angela had that affect on people and I can be quite charming when the mood strikes." Jane ignored Lisbon's muffled smirk resisting the urge to remind her it hadn't taken _that_ long to charm the pants right off her once he'd determined that was a course of action he wanted to take. "I know everyone thinks I spent all of my time doing readings; but, that isn't true. I did have a life aside from the con. Admittedly not much of one as I was always looking for fresh clients; but, it was there." Jane smiled slightly at the pleasant memories.

"What was it like?" Lisbon asked not sure if he'd answer though he had been a lot more forthcoming since they'd learned about the Baby Jane.

"My life?" Jane asked.

"Yes, your life with Angela and Charlotte Anne." Lisbon clarified.

"It was the usual story." Jane kept his eyes focused ahead.

"Tell me." Lisbon urged.

"What exactly do you want to find out? You already know Angela had to bail Danny out of trouble in her wedding gown. It was a lovely wedding. While not happy with us for turning our back on the life, a lot of the people you lived among the last few months were there. And no, I shouldn't have told you as knowing would only have made you uncomfortable. They accepted you with open arms and you needed to do the same. As for what came later, you already know about Angela's pregnancy and Charlotte's birth. You know she was a stay at home mom who did the charity circuit while I happily fleeced my clients." Jane glanced in Lisbon's direction and knew she wanted more.

"Anything you want to tell me." Lisbon said quietly answering his earlier question.

"Angela was a good mother as you will be. Charlotte Anne had piano and dance recitals as all little girls should. She was also a fish in the water and enjoyed tumbling. My daughter was a very sweet girly girl who loved her Mommy and Daddy.

As for Angela and I, we attended parties, operas, museum galas and the like exactly as you think. We also had quiet evenings at home and long walks on the beach. We were just like every other normal couple. We were a little more affluent than many; but, very ordinary in spite of that and all of the quirks of my strange profession. We fought like anyone else and we made up the same. We really weren't that different from the two of us when you strip our relationships down to the common denominators." Jane finally said what Lisbon really wanted to hear. "Lisbon, you need to accept that Angela and I were nothing more than two people who loved each other for who and what we were. You and I are no different. You love me in spite of the man I am and I love you no matter how annoying you can be." Jane teased masking the seriousness of the moment.

"Me, annoying? I think you need to take a look in the mirror, Mister." Lisbon snarked deciding he was probably right.

"I know you find it difficult to accept all of this sometimes." Jane continued knowing she'd read between the lines. "I do, too. It doesn't seem possible I'm getting the second chance I never thought to have. The one I never wanted until you convinced me I did."

"If you think I saw any of this coming, you've got another think coming." Lisbon admitted. "I don't regret any of it. But, I did not see you and I together and I certainly never saw this." She rested her hand on her belly.

"Well, we've got it now." Jane smiled at her honesty.

"Yeah, we do, whether we consciously wanted it or not." Lisbon grinned at how happy she really was that Jane had swept her future out of hands when she'd gladly have shot anyone else for attempting such a thing. "I'm not the first woman you've been attracted to since Angela's death."

"No, you're not and you know that." Jane agreed.

"Why me?" Lisbon asked quietly.

"They weren't honorable and none of them were worth the betrayal." Kristina, of all of them, might have been though she was terribly misguided and the time was off. "You were."

"Don't say things like that, Jane." Lisbon closed her eyes not liking the raw pain in his voice.

"Why not when it's true?" Jane lightly massaged her hand between his fingers for a few moments before returning his hand to the steering wheel.

"Shush." Lisbon said softly as she cursed pregnancy hormones and fought to regain her composure when all she wanted to do was cry.

"Fix your makeup, Lisbon, we're almost there." Jane said as he watched Constance checking in with the guard at the gate and knew he'd have to check in, too.

They were off to see another house he knew neither of them was going to like.

#

Three and a half hours later they were four houses down, none of which had caught Lisbon's eye, with one to go. One Jane was hoping she'd like as he wasn't looking forward to spending most of tomorrow the same way. He didn't think Lisbon was either. Not after a full day's work.

"This is the one isn't it?" Lisbon asked as she surveyed the sprawling Mediterranean styling and spacious front yard of their final appointment of the day.

"What one?" Jane asked lightly draping his arm around her shoulders.

"The one you're planning on making an offer on." Lisbon clarified.

"I didn't say that, you did. I plan on making an offer on the house you like." Jane answered evasively.

Lisbon didn't really care that he was probably being honest, he was still side stepping the straight answer which was "yes". His game was simple. Somewhere along the way, Jane had decided she wouldn't give _his_ choice a fair shake on principle. The sad thing was he was probably right. If she knew up front Jane was determined he was getting a particular house, she would resent feeling herded from the start. He was playing it smart in being tight lipped even if doing so annoyed her.

"The yard is huge and mostly clear of trees. There aren't a lot of places for someone to hide and that's a mark in its favor." Lisbon commented anxious to get inside as she liked what she could see of the exterior. "When is Connie getting here?"

"She's taking a call at the other place so she said we could start without her." Not standard operating procedure; but, Constance really was taking a call and he'd been here before. Besides, they'd known each other for many years and Lisbon was a fairly straight laced cop with a high profile face. They weren't likely to get into any mischief wandering through an empty house. "She'll be ten or fifteen minutes behind us." Jane said as he unlocked the door and opened it wide.

"This house is bigger than all the rest." Lisbon noted as she walked through the door.

"Yes, it is, by a fair margin." Jane agreed as he led her through the rather unfurnished den towards the kitchen preparing to make his sales pitch.

"Then it's on the higher end of our price range." Lisbon commented logically as she allowed Jane to take her by the hand leading her towards the kitchen.

"Not quite. It's about a hundred grand less than that place you didn't like at all. That place having the pool with all the unnecessary stuff." Jane hadn't liked the house at all; but, Lisbon had…until she saw the pool with the trees on the island in the middle of it. He'd resisted the urge to make a victory sign in the air at her obvious distaste.

"That pool was a nightmare. Nice kitchen, Jane, planning on doing a lot of cooking?" Lisbon asked as she eyeballed the professional stove, gorgeous custom hand painted Italian tiling, and the double ovens. She so wasn't managing her team all day, a Baby Jane all night, and the evening meal. Jane could get that thought right out of his head.

"Yeah, Lisbon, I think I will." Jane said as he gazed from the breakfast area over the patio and pool without.

"Good because I'm not doing it. I'm going to have both hands full with this." Lisbon patted her tummy as she decided she liked the layout of the kitchen with the freestanding island in the center and all of that unbelievably fancy custom tile work. She liked the mahogany cabinets, granite counter tops, and the open breakfast area and bar as well.

"I suspect you will." Jane agreed. "What do you say we check out the rest of the ground floor before we go upstairs?"

"Sounds like a plan." Lisbon allowed him to lead her into the dining room that a warm neutral easily dressed up by the furnishings and a painting or two. Maybe she'd suggest Jane allow her to put up a few paintings that Angela had done. She would agree if he would and it there was anything suitable among his collection. She was sure he'd saved more than the carney portraits. Perhaps some of those garden scenes and seascapes. "This place has what…four bedrooms and three baths." At a minimum from the size of it she was sure.

"There's three and a half baths…one and half down here and two upstairs. The half is off the game room back there." Jane pointed towards the rear of the house.

"And the full is off that fourth bedroom on the ground floor." While the house had two master suites, the better one was upstairs complete with a balcony overlooking the pool.

"So far I like everything about it." Lisbon agreed as she glanced into a wainscoted room in passing that was clearly a combination library/office on the way to what Jane was defining as their "Billiards" room. She could see it in her mind as they moved on to the first master suite with connecting bath that she found nice but not quite "it." "I've seen enough down here. Show me what's upstairs and let's see if we can close the sale."

Taking her at her word, Jane guided her up the stairs towards the upstairs landing by the hand he had yet to release. Walking into the master suite, Jane released her hand.

"The Baby Jane can sleep in here with us to start with Lisbon. There's plenty of room for his crib over there and anything else he might need. Once things settle down, we can move him across the hall into the nursery." Jane said as he opened the bedroom door knowing she knew he meant once Red John was caught and they were sure there weren't any copy cats lurking about. Until then, they would all sleep in the same room. It wouldn't be a problem.

"The crib will fit right here." Lisbon pointed to a corner of the room where the crib and changing table would fit neatly along the two walls.

"I think you're right. It'll be out of the way; but, still easily accessible from both sides of our bed which will be over there against that wall." Jane said having already arranged the furniture in his head.

"You already have everything laid out in your mind don't you?" Lisbon asked watching him.

"Yes, I'm afraid I do. I took a look through a furniture store after I saw this place the first time and picked all the things I would like. I'm afraid I arranged the layout in my head as well. It's foolish to buy a house that isn't furnished don't you agree?" Jane said as he continued pacing about the room.

The house was well suited to the Regency pieces that were all gilded mahogany and vibrant colors with the appropriate touches of marble here and there dancing through his head. Not to mention the more casual masculine leathers and chunky pieces he favored that would blend nicely in the mix. Lisbon would go along with his choices once they were done if he let her do the nursery. She didn't want to be bothered with all of this anyway. She had enough on her plate as it was.

"It's nothing like Malibu is it? What you've pictured in your head?" Lisbon smiled at his strange antics knowing there was a method to his madness whether she could see it or not.

"Malibu was more contemporary. This place is Mediterranean which lends itself to a totally different look. More substantial, refined, and period I should think." Jane murmured absently.

"You think?" Lisbon couldn't help smiling. "You think you've got this one in the bag do you?"

"Yeah, Teresa, I do. You've already fit the baby's things in that corner and you're scoping out the closets trying to decide which one is the bigger because you think you're going to have more clothes than I will. I'm not sure you're right on that one." Jane said with a wink.

"Is that what you think?" Lisbon asked knowing she was doing exactly that.

"That's exactly what I think. I might be making plans; but, you're making plans of your own." Jane said confidently.

"I may be considering a few things. Since I haven't seen the entire house, I won't say I've decided anything. But, I do like what I've seen so far." Lisbon admitted. "At least the pool doesn't have any trees growing in the middle of it." Jane watched her staring out the back window at the pool.

"Let's walk across the hall." Wrapping his arms around her waist, Jane guided her into the room he'd already selected as the nursery in his mind. "What do you say, Teresa, it's large enough to convert into a comfortably sized bedroom when he's older I'd say. And as the walls are already that boring eggshell color, it won't take much to trim the molding in cobalt with the red accents you want." Jane shook his head thinking the whole nautical theme was wrong. So wrong; but, he'd not been able to sway her as he'd already known. "The last bedroom on this floor is of a similar size so should we have another reason to need the nursery, we can move him down the hall."

"We haven't had this one and you're already planning another." Lisbon laughed at the bizarreness of that thought.

"We've already had this discussion and I'm not planning anything. I'm just saying there are other options if we need them. We both know you're in charge of deciding if we have another." Jane ignored her snort implying that certainly hadn't been true in this case. "Teresa, I'm not the one who's going through the misery. You are. If you don't want to do it again, we won't. It's as simple as that."

"You mean that don't you?" He clearly did.

"Of course I do though I think you're going to love being a mother." Jane kissed the top of her head in passing.

"All I can say at the moment is if this is as bad as it gets before it's over, I won't shut the door on the possibility." As truly miserable as she was, there were aspects of her pregnancy she truly enjoyed.

Besides, it was temporary and so worth the end result. If there weren't any unanticipated complications down the road, she'd give the idea serious thought. She hadn't totally given up on the desire to have that baby girl she'd always imagined. As they still hadn't made it to the sonogram scheduled for Thursday, she still couldn't rule that possibility out one hundred percent no matter what Jane thought. In her heart of hearts she hoped it was the coveted boy as Jane would be clearly disappointed if he weren't having convinced himself he was. As for Lisbon she didn't really mind letting him win this go around.

"Patrick, are you guys upstairs?" Constance's voice floated up the stairs.

"In the master suite." Jane walked out to the landing to yell back before walking back in the bedroom.

"You can tell Connie we're ready to sign on the dotted line." Lisbon said quietly.

"You haven't seen the pool or the exterior." Jane reminded her.

"It doesn't matter. I like the way it feels inside." Lisbon responded. "It has everything we need and it feels like a home. It doesn't hurt that we're as safe as we can ever be here. I say we go with it. It isn't necessary to try to hypnotize me into compliance." She'd murder him in cold blood if he tried. "You can show me the furniture later. If I don't like it, we aren't going there. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Jane couldn't help smirking the whole shebang was a done deal.

While surprised at how easily she'd capitulated and how happy Connie was going to be with both sides of the commission, Jane knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Lisbon was going to love that furniture by the time he was done.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Tina and guest, thank you for letting me know you're enjoying the story. While I write for fun, I deeply appreciate the reviews I get especially this time of year when I'm working ten hour days with as little as eight hours in between them on occasion. Sometimes it would be much easier to just tell myself I'm tired than work on this story so knowing you're reading keeps me going.

Please forgive the errors. I will re-edit this chapter and the last when I'm less tired which may be a while. ~Calla

#

Chewing absently on the end of her pencil, Lisbon wasn't thrilled with Jane. He was having their furniture brought to the house starting some time tomorrow. After that, he had a good three days minimum by his estimate to complete the job from start to finish. While their house was on the larger side, that calculation seemed mildly excessive to her. Common sense said it shouldn't take that long…Then again…she was talking about Jane. That was what gave her pause. She honestly had no idea what the man was really up to and she didn't trust him quite that far.

With the truly important things like keeping her and the Baby Jane safe, yes. With loving them, yes. With guarding her back at work, yes.

With the less important things like making their house a home, she wasn't so sure. He _had_ gotten rid of her beloved couch without her consent and replaced it with a white leather monstrocity for goodness sakes. While he'd done that years ago, there were some things she couldn't forget. She wasn't entirely sure she'd completely forgiven him for that one either in spite of Jane's selection growing on her. The couch was far more comfortable than her old one and probably the true reason he'd purchased it in the first place. It had nothing to do with her at all and everything to do with his infernal naps. That sounded exactly like Jane.

Adding to Lisbon's distress, Jane would be sleeping in _their_ brand new king sized mahogany and black leather sleigh bed with the brass lion's head pull rings in their spiffy new bedroom in their gorgeous new house all alone. She would be staying in _her_ ratty old apartment with her team. Well, with Van Pelt and Cho. Rigsby was on the final night of his scheduled visit with Benjamin so she'd given him the evening off. He'd join the fun tomorrow as he wasn't needed anyway. No one seriously expected anything out of the ordinary to happen except Jane and her guys who were being overly cautious as usual. Lisbon rolled her eyes at the thought she couldn't stub her toe without someone running to offer a band aid.

Yes, all the attention was getting on her last nerve; but, that wasn't what had her knickers in a knot.

It was that she was going to spend _one _night, much less _three_, apart from Jane and it had nothing to do with sex. It was his very solid presence she would miss. They hadn't spent a night apart since they'd gone on the lam and she wasn't happy about it. She wasn't going to get a wink of sleep without him. She was too used to her Jane pillow and she could hardly snuggle up to Van Pelt or Cho in that way. ..Talk about inappropriate...All Lisbon could think was if she was miserable, then everyone else should be too. Mainly Jane as he was the cause of her discontent in the first place. But, her team wasn't totally off the hook as they supported his over protectiveness.

Steepling her fingers, Lisbon contemplated the fact they'd been back in Sacramento all of three weeks and they hadn't stuck to a single plan they'd made in New Orleans. Not a single one. They were living in her apartment as they'd said they wouldn't. They were spending time apart as they'd said they wouldn't. They were no closer to catching Red John than they'd ever been and Jane was still aggravating her over the nursery. If she'd said it once, she'd said it a thousand times. There weren't going to be any airplane flying monkeys so he could just get over it all ready. She was. _Nothing_ was going as they'd said. With hind sight, Lisbon could only hope a certain someone missed her as much as she missed him. She might feel almost vindicated if he did.

On the up side, the house had closed without a hitch if she didn't count taking a week and a half longer than promised due to unexpected family emergencies on the part of the sellers. And, in his favor, Jane had shown her their furniture before he'd purchased it. Lisbon still wasn't sure how she felt about some of his selections as the jumble was quite the eclectic mix of period pieces from massive leather sofas to lion's head pull ring adorned buffets and lion's paw dining room tables; but, she'd given her word she'd give it chance. As she didn't openly dislike a single piece he'd purchased, she would. Anything she decided she didn't like once Jane finished could go right back where he purchased it from.

Oh, and she _was_ getting that high end off white and blue convertible crib she wanted even if it didn't fit with any of the other furniture. That was non-negotiable as Jane was about to learn. Deciding she'd ruminated in the land of depression long enough, Lisbon turned back to her computer intent on getting back to work.

"Teresa."

Speak of the devil. Jane was poking his head through her door without knocking as usual.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had a furniture delivery to oversee." Lisbon said stated without looking at him.

"They're running a couple of hours late so I thought I'd come see you instead." Jane said still lingering in her doorway like a vampire awaiting his invitation to enter.

"Lucky me." She'd been royally p.o.'d when she'd left their apartment this morning and nothing had changed in the two, no three, hours since.

"Don't be like that." Jane looked away hiding the slight smile curving his lips. Nothing had changed in all the years he'd known her. He still found an irked Lisbon incredibly cute much as he would an angrily spitting kitten…On second thought, maybe a thing or two had changed with the passage of time. He now found an angry Lisbon not only incredibly cute; but, incredibly hot as well. "I come bearing gifts."

"Go away, Jane." Lisbon said fighting the urge to ask him to hug her instead.

She was already having a rough day. It had little to do with her actual work and everything to do with her co-workers. She'd walked into the ladies room only to overhear a shockingly inappropriate over-the-stalls conversation between Capelli and Johnson concerning her intimate relations with Jane and promptly exited without a word. She could come back later after she made the requisite cup of tummy settling tea and carried it to her office.

She'd then walked into the break room to make that cup of tea catching the tail end of a second conversation that shouldn't be happening between Rutgers and Stein. At least they'd had the decency to look embarrassed she'd heard them talking about her in such a way. She'd never known some of her fellow agents found her attractive in _that _way. Or maybe she'd always known and never been willing to notice. Or maybe they'd just lost their minds somewhere along the way and were confessing to things that had never been.

There was something about being an attractive pregnant cop that had her male co-workers acting positively _weird_. Like Jane wasn't the only person sniffling about where they shouldn't weird. Enough so Jane was going all territorial about her to a degree bordering on embarrassing. She'd never been watched so much in her life. Lisbon wasn't sure why. Maybe because she was the last woman they ever expected to get pregnant or maybe it was that she'd actually been brave enough to bed down with Jane or maybe it was something entirely different she wasn't going to think about. What she did know was Bertram thought she was getting what she deserved for letting Jane run amok all these years, Minelli was openly amused by her trials and tribulations, and LaRoche just shook his head in wonder.

"I'll do that if you like; but, I don't think you would." Jane said as he took a step into her office and set his gifts on her desk.

"There better be caffeine in there." Lisbon eyeballed the large cup suspiciously.

"Your monthly treat: one half decaf and that gooey pastry thing you like." Jane shook the bag at her.

"It isn't gooey if it's made right. It's cinnamony, nutty, and sweet." Lisbon pulled the Bear Claw from the bag and took a bite. "Go make your tea and stay a while."

"Then I'm forgiven?" Jane asked watching her take a tiny sip of her perfectly made coffee after seriously blowing on it.

"I wouldn't go that far. But, you're on the way to redemption." Lisbon said honestly. "Maybe. If you don't make me mad all over again."

"I'll be back in a moment." Jane said as he disappeared in the direction of the break room to make that cup of tea leaving Lisbon to enjoy her coffee.

Staring at the cup, Lisbon could imagine Jane standing behind that counter making her coffee himself. It was fortunate he was friends with the owner or he'd have been tossed out on his bottom a long time ago. As it was, he got away with bloody murder. Deciding it was still too hot to drink, she pressed the lid back on her cup to await Jane's return.

She wasn't surprised a few minutes later when he meandered back into her office, locked her door, and set his steaming cup in its matching saucer on her desk. Walking around her desk, he drew her to her feet engulfing her in his arms expecting protests that never came.

"Teresa, what's the matter? It's more than the fact we're going to be apart for a couple of days. You've got those tiny wrinkles between your eyes saying you're upset about something." Jane dragged Lisbon tightly against him not caring if Bertram walked through that locked door as he rested his hands against her lower back enjoying the slight curve of her tummy pressing into him.

"It's been a rough day already." Lisbon admitted wrapping her arms around his waist.

"How so? Tough case?" It had better not be any of the higher ups or he'd be paying some well timed visits.

"Just the jackasses we work with." Lisbon mumbled against his chest.

"How so? Something you heard that shouldn't be said?" Jane asked already cursing people who couldn't keep their noses out of other people's business.

"I walked in on Capelli and Johnson in the ladies' room talking about you in a way they shouldn't. Have they always done that?" Lisbon was surprised she wanted to yank their hair out by the roots for even going there. That really wasn't like her.

"If you mean give voice to how they think I'd perform in bed? Since Lorelei, yes, though I think they've been whispering far longer than that." Jane agreed holding her a little tighter. He could hardly tell Lisbon their salaciousness had been going on for years. She wouldn't like hearing that at all.

"They were talking about us, Jane, not just you. It wasn't very flattering to either of us mainly because of me." Lisbon reluctantly admitted just how long she'd hung around listening to their drivel.

"Then that shows how much they know. I can assure you I have no complaints. You have the same no holds barred approach to love making you have to bringing down a perp I find quite refreshing and invigorating." Jane laughed softly as he dropped a kiss on her crown thinking Capelli and Johnson were bigger fools than he'd thought if they hadn't figured out Lisbon was hardly a cold fish in bed. She was quite the passionate little thing as he'd always suspected. More than that, she was incredibly giving and loving in ways he'd never known. He wouldn't trade her for anything and never for one of them.

Closing his eyes, Jane silently admitted Angela had been the love of his life. But Lisbon was so much more.

She was the woman who'd restored humanity to a man who thought he'd lost his long ago.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon knew her cheeks were beet red thinking about all the things they'd done, would continue to do, and had yet to do. There was nothing to say beyond being in the company of the man holding her so warmly against him gave her lots of naughty ideas. She didn't need to give voice to what everyone already knew. They had but to look at her to know the truth.

"Ignore their foolishness. It's nothing but innuendo, wishful thinking, and fantasies never to be fulfilled so none of it can hurt you unless you let it. It's certainly nothing that is ever going to happen in real life so I say let them talk." Jane reassured her.

"No, it isn't, and that's not anything I worry about." Unfaithfulness wasn't a fear she had. Jane truly wasn't that kind of man. "It's more the whole conversation being so disrespectful. You aren't a piece of meat to be discussed like that."

"In what way?" Jane's interest was slightly piqued by her words.

"Size and technique." Lisbon admitted.

"Do tell. And since you obviously hung around long enough to hear, were they on the mark?" Jane could only imagine such a conversation between two such promiscuous harpies. It wasn't anything he wanted to hear and he'd certainly never have subjected Lisbon to it. He might need to have a word with Capelli and Johnson before he left. He'd have to think on that one.

"Not even close." Lisbon could see his head enlarging at her words. "If they only knew you were so much better." She sniggered finding this whole conversation as ridiculous as the one she'd overheard earlier and feeling immensely better.

"Then let's make a pact not to tell them, what do you say?" Jane mentally cringed before finding comfort in the fact Lisbon was openly laughing now. Maybe that talk really wasn't as necessary as it seemed. He'd leave well enough alone for now.

"I won't if you don't." Lisbon rubbed his back absently under his jacket enjoying the play of firm muscle beneath her palms.

"I have no intention of doing any such thing." Jane agreed.

"Then we're on the same page." Lisbon closed her eyes inhaling the comforting scent of Jane.

"What else happened I don't know about?" Jane asked softly.

"I walked in on Rutgers and Stein in the break room." Lisbon really didn't want to repeat that conversation either.

"Discussing you as men discuss an attractive woman which was nothing you ever expected." Jane finished for her.

"I guess so." Lisbon refused to think about how much she was going to miss him and his wisdom the next few days.

"It shouldn't have surprised you at all. You're a very appealing woman and you always have been." He'd noticed her from the start before he'd ever come to work for the CBI. "Pregnancy only makes you more so."

"Yeah, right." Lisbon barked thinking about how she started most days and there was nothing attractive or appealing about _that_.

"Unfortunately, you're hardly the most approachable woman." Jane ignored her. "Added to that, I suspect most of the CBI knew there was something between us long before we did. That being said, why would any decent man with a healthy ego looking for more than just getting into your pants put himself in a situation he couldn't win?" Jane asked.

"You may be right." Lisbon said reluctantly.

"Besides, I wouldn't let them." Jane admitted.

"You'd better not be telling me what I think you are." Lisbon growled.

"I'm telling you exactly what you think I am." Jane confessed not at all repentant.

"What am I going to do with you?" Lisbon wasn't sure whether to punch him or laugh.

"I can think of a thing or two if you keep doing what you're doing now." Lisbon had managed to slip her hands beneath his shirt and her warm palms against his bare skin were having a very predictable effect on a certain part of his anatomy.

"Not going to happen. I'm giving you something to think about all those nights we're apart." And she was giving herself something to anticipate. "Have you really been scaring off my potential suitors?"

"The last two or three years?...You damned right." Jane answered honestly.

And he'd done a fairly good job except for the one he never considered a serious threat…Jane was still kicking himself in the rear for allowing Mash to slip through and for encouraging their flirtation. He'd known the man was attracted to Lisbon. He'd just never thought _that_ would happen on her end.

"Jane, honestly, you're such a jerk." Lisbon swatted his shoulder.

"Hardly. I'm a man who protects what's his and you're definitely mine." Lisbon didn't miss what he was saying. It wasn't the child in her womb that was his. It was _her_. She was his real treasure while their son was the unexpected icing on the cake.

"And you're mine so Capelli and Johnson can take a hike." Lisbon reminded him.

'Ignore them, Lisbon, they're of no real consequence in our lives." Jane said as he looked at his watch behind her back. "As much as I hate to say this, My Dear, I need to get a move on or we'll be rescheduling that delivery. I don't think either of us wants to do that."

"Not going to happen. You've got exactly three more days and I'm coming home whether you're ready or not." Lisbon said.

"I'll be ready." Jane promised.

"Then give me a kiss and go." She needed to get back to work anyway not waste time snuggling Jane wishing they could do so much more.

Smirking at her bossy command, Jane gave her a wink and proceeded to kiss her in a manner making Lisbon seriously reconsider her no sex in the office rule. She wouldn't be the first agent to fall if the rumors were true. From the feel of him, Jane wouldn't put up much of a fight if any; but, they'd both probably get fired. That so wasn't happening…as tempting as the idea was.

"Did you have to do that?" It was going to take her a couple of minutes to get her breathing under control.

"You started it so I think I did. We both need something to keep us warm at night and that kiss will do nicely." Jane kissed her again. "I'll keep you updated frequently and see you in a few days."

"Yeah, right, get out of here." Lisbon backed out of his arms with one last kiss.

"I'll call you soon." Jane said seriously as he rubbed her tummy and lifted his cup off her desk.

"You do that." Lisbon said from behind her desk refusing to watch him walk out her door.

"Lisbon, I'm going to miss you, too. This isn't anything I want any more than you; but, we both know you don't need the extra noise and stress. There's enough going on without dealing with all of that. So, the sooner I get this done, the sooner we can be together again." Jane reminded her deciding one of them had to be practical and it was his turn to step of to the plate as Lisbon wasn't.

"While I know you're right, I don't have to like it." Lisbon pouted as she took a sip of coffee deciding maybe it needed to hit the microwave now as she and Jane had snuggled a little too long.

"Neither of us do, Teresa. We just have to do it." Jane gave her one last smile before ambling out the door in the direction of the bull pen for a final conversation with her team.

Refusing to watch his departure, Lisbon turned back to her computer screen. She'd nuke that coffee in a few minutes after she was sure he was gone. She'd probably cry if she ran into Jane before he left. She wasn't handling this temporary separation well at all and he'd yet to leave the building.

#

Looking up from her computer to find Jane draped in her doorway grinning in that way saying he was up to something, Lisbon felt immediately unsettled. She hadn't seen him since he'd left on Tuesday. She'd tried to enjoy the ongoing slumber party at her place instead. Strangely enough, she had when she wasn't giving Rigsby and Van Pelt a dressing down for making cow eyes at each other.

She couldn't seem to make them understand, with the situation between her and Jane; everyone was scrutinizing her unit even closer than usual to ensure she wasn't allowing the same kind of prohibited fraternizing between members of her team…namely Rigsby and Van Pelt. While Bertram and the higher ups could fudge a little on the rules as Jane was a consultant and didn't fit neatly into any category, the same couldn't be said for them. They were undeniably members of the same team.

While Lisbon was willing to pretend ignorance, she couldn't protect them from their own stupidity. If they didn't do a better job of secrecy than they'd done the first go around, there was nothing she could do to save them. They'd either be on the outs again or one of them would have to transfer. As Rigsby now had a son in Sacramento, Lisbon doubted the tranferee would be him. As much as she wanted them to be happy, she'd hate to loose Van Pelt. Grace had become a valuable member of her team.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had to supervise the last of the deliveries today?" She wasn't supposed to see Jane until tonight.

He'd been working three very solid days straight to get their house situated and had refused her entry into her own home when she'd shown up at the door on Wednesday. She'd thought she could persuade him otherwise and discovered to her chagrin that she couldn't. Jane's foot was firmly down. He had, however, permitted the team to have a walk-through of the work in progress on the way into the office today.

Cho had grumbled in that tone saying he was suitably impressed, Risby had whistled appreciatively, and Grace had done her silly squeal accompanied by a girly dance when they'd returned to the CBI. Lisbon had not been impressed with the situation and her current attitude reflected that. Nor was she impressed Jane had invited her team over to celebrate the new house on the evening of their reunion after four lonely nights spent without his company. She was equally unimpressed they'd all accepted. She was definitely having a talk with Jane later tonight when they were alone and he'd done suitable penance. Then again, she might forget the whole conversation if he was penitent enough.

"We finished a couple of hours ago. As for why I'm here, we have to be at Dr. Youst's in forty-five minutes." Jane gently reminded her.

"Are you serious?" Lisbon glanced at the time on her computer screen before cursing under her breath.

She'd gotten so immersed in reading a cold case the SFPD had sent this morning that she'd completely forgotten her doctor's appointment. A five year old cold case similar enough in MO and victimology to a case they were currently working to be of serious interest. She didn't want to put it down; but, she needed to get a move on as her Obstetrician was taking time from her busy schedule to do the sonogram herself.

Though she liked and trusted her doctor, a part of Lisbon couldn't help feeling they were getting preferential treatment because Bertram had spun one crazy love story soon after their return to active duty. As the big boss he'd had to explain her pregnancy somehow and he'd embraced Jane's ridiculous suggestions with open arms spinning a tale even she found intriguing. Who knew the man was a sappy romantic at heart?

Lisbon only wished their coming together had been half so sentimental and far less fumbling. Instead, it had been fraught with fears and false starts on both their parts. She'd probably be a couple of months farther along if Jane had taken her up on her first couple of offers or if she'd taken him up on his. Not that any of that really mattered as they'd eventually found their way to coming together and ended up in the same predicament.

"Don't sweat it. We still have a few minutes before we have to leave." Jane reassured her.

"I need to go to the ladies room to powder my nose and comb my hair. Yes, I know I can't go so you don't need to remind me. I'll be back in a minute." Lisbon took her purse from the drawer and headed for the door.

"You're just going down the hall?" Jane asked unsure what was going on and knowing he didn't want her disappearing into the oldest part of the building to that old bathroom no one used any more alone.

"I'm going to the one down the hall." Lisbon reassured him as she walked out the door not particularly caring for that other ladies' room any more than Jane did.

But, it was the only place she could get any privacy and she didn't want the gossip mongers knowing how rough a time she was really having. She didn't need her personal business broadcast from one end of the building to the other any more than it already was. And she didn't need Virgil slinking about in the shadows any more than he did. She was getting put out with all of the overprotective men in her life. There was only so much "l-o-v-e" a girl could take and she was about loved out.

Brushing her teeth and dragging her comb through her hair, Lisbon slicked on some lipstick and walked back to join Jane in her office. Feeling his fingers curling through hers, she didn't try pulling her hand away as they closed and locked her door behind them. Walking much too close towards the elevator, Lisbon decided if any of her fellow agents hadn't figured out she and her consultant were an item by now they were deaf, dumb, and blind. Stepping into the elevator with Jane, Lisbon watched the doors close behind them and wasn't surprised by the light kiss he suddenly dropped on her lips.

"I've missed you. As much fun as getting everything set up was, it wasn't the same without you there." From his tone, Jane was laughing at her.

"You don't say? Am I going to like what you've done or think I wasted four perfectly good nights having a slumber party with Van Pelt I didn't want? For the record, she has cold feet and she snores." Lisbon groused as she hugged him hoping the doors wouldn't open any time soon.

"Oh, I'd say you're going to like it a lot." Jane reassured her. "As for the other, we could always trade. I really don't mind cold feet as long as the rest of Grace is warmly inviting and what's a little snoring between friends?"

"As you aren't that good of friends you might better shush while you're ahead." Lisbon held his hand a little tighter as they exited the CBI aware they were leaving a number of shocked faces behind them.

While they'd never denied the nature of their relationship since their return, they hadn't flaunted it either preferring to act much as they always had. Today was different. They'd been apart three days and they were apprehensive over what the next couple of hours would bring. Neither of them was all that interested in being discrete at the moment.

"In all seriousness, Teresa, it was a bad idea for you to stay at your place and me to stay at ours. I don't like sleeping alone any more than you do." Jane said honestly. "I recommend we not do it again."

"I like the sound of that." Lisbon agreed as they stopped at her car for a change. No matter what Jane thought, she was driving today. She needed the distraction. "Get in. I'm driving."

Glancing at keys jangling in her hand, Jane decided it was better to give in without a fight and from the looks of the little woman she would definitely fight. Neither Lisbon nor their doctor would appreciate his contribution if she arrived for her ultrasound with an elevated blood pressure. Or one more elevated than normal under the circumstances. Jane had a feeling he'd find himself in a world of trouble he'd rather avoid were that to happen.

#

After spending much too long sitting in that freezing waiting room staring at other pregnant women for much too long praying the while she never looked as uncomfortable as some of them before she was done, Lisbon found herself following a whippet thin nurse down the hall with Jane in tow. Knowing what was expected of her, Lisbon sat on the edge of the exam table and let Sarah go through the motions of getting her ready for her first ultrasound which was coming much later than it should. Watching the lively little nurse entering her vitals, Lisbon leaned back on the table and made herself comfortable.

She was going to be here for a while from what she understood. Her doctor was going to be giving their little one a thorough going over to see as much as she could see. Of more interest to Lisbon than the measurements, level of amniotic fluid, and placement of the placenta in her womb was that she and Jane would be hearing their son's heart beat and seeing him for the very first time. That was what she was concentrating on. Not any fears of what her doctor might find. Feeling Jane's fingers lace through hers, she shifted on the table deciding it wasn't as comfortable as it should be.

A few minutes later, Lisbon watched her slender blonde haired obstetrician moving about the room from where she reclined on the examination table with Jane far closer than he needed to be and her abdomen exposed. As if the awkwardness of the moment wasn't enough, she was lamenting her significant other's inability to respect her personal space. A bloody leech couldn't get any closer. As much as she wanted him by her side, she wasn't enjoying this degree of togetherness.

Ignoring Jane, Lisbon turned her attention to her doctor. Only a few years older than she was, Emily Youst was highly competent and professional. Used to handling higher profile patients, she'd listened to their concerns and agreed to keep their file under tighter security than normal. She'd even agreed to oversee, if not actually do, most of their tests personally. Perhaps it was good that patients entering and leaving through the cloistered back door was a far more common occurrence than not in her practice which was why they'd chosen her. That and she came highly recommended by her previous patients. Jane had thoroughly vetted her references.

"I'm sorry, Teresa, this is going to be cold." Emily Youst said as she slathered the cool gel across Lisbon's bare tummy before gliding the transducer over her skin.

While not expecting an ongoing conversation, Lisbon was grateful Jane was holding her hand as her doctor studied the images that weren't as clear to them as they'd expected.

"From what I see, we're developing nicely." Dr. Youst finally broke the eternity of silence giving them a running monologue of exactly what she was seeing from adequate amniotic fluid to the proper number of fingers and toes. "I'm right in thinking you've both said you want to know the baby's sex?"

"Yes." Jane responded from where he was staring at the screen over Lisbon's shoulder not sure he liked what he was seeing.

"Teresa?" Dr. Youst waited for confirmation before saying another word.

"Yes." Lisbon nodded her head.

"Over here you can clearly see you're having a girl." Lisbon didn't turn at Jane's startled gasp merely squeezing his hand instead as her doctor pointed to what appeared undeniably female. "And over here it's equally clear you're having a boy as well."

Lisbon ignored the knock at the door as she tried to absorb the other woman's words. Her first thought was a heartfelt, "Oh, God, you must be playing a trick on me." Her second was, "I'm a dead woman." If she'd thought two Janes were bad enough….she couldn't imagine three. She must have been a very bad girl somewhere along the way. On second thought, she had been and it was worth every second even if her reward was _two_ Baby Janes.

"I have to take this call so I'll let you have a couple of minutes to get used to all of this." Dr. Youst smiled gently at the gobsmacked expressions on their faces as she slipped out the door closing it quietly behind her.

"Jane, are you okay?" Neither of them had to ask what she meant.

"I don't think so; but, I will be. Just give me some time." Jane answered honestly.

"It has nothing to do with there being two of them does it?" Lisbon refused to allow herself to shy away from the issue suddenly looming between them. "It's that one of the two is a girl."

"I'd say it does. It's not that I don't love her, I do, and I don't want you ever thinking otherwise. It's that I never gave any real thought to the possibility of having another daughter. I knew this one was boy so I didn't explore the possibility any further than dismissing it." Kissing Lisbon in a reassuring manner, Jane was far from reassured. "The bigger question is are you okay? I don't have to carry them, you do." Which meant her situation was going to get worse before it got better.

"Don't be an idiot. Of course I'm okay and it's not like I could do anything about it if I wasn't…Jane, we're financially stable so I don't have any concerns that way. We've discussed having a family more than once which implies more than one of these." Lisbon waved her hand over her bare tummy refusing to touch the goo on her belly. "We have access to good child care after we go back to work and we're both getting what we wanted earlier than expected. I don't see the problem on my end.

Besides, I had a suspicion we might be rudely surprised given my age and the severity of my morning sickness so I'm not quite as shocked as you are." She'd read enough to catch her interest and make her start considering unfounded possibilities a while ago. She just hadn't seriously thought such a thing possible. She was still so small she had no idea how there was one in there much less two.

"For once I have to admit this possibility never crossed my mind." Jane shrugged his shoulders.

He'd been so convinced they were having a son he'd never considered anything else. That wasn't the only thing he hadn't considered. He hadn't given a second thought to how he might feel were he to discover they were having a daughter instead and how he was feeling was nothing he wanted to admit to Lisbon or anyone else.

He could only hope Emily returned soon so he could ignore it.

#

"Boss, what's up with Jane?" Cho followed Lisbon into the kitchen watching her put a pan of lemon herbed chicken into the oven. It was Jane's version of the Greek chicken his boss now favored. She said it was delicious and from what he was seeing, he didn't doubt it.

It seemed Lisbon and Jane had decided to go all out with the hors d'oeuvres and the dinner. Jane must have spent a good part of the day preparing the spread. Lisbon certainly hadn't as she'd been under their watchful eyes at the CBI all day. Speaking of Jane, the man had beaten a path out of the house as soon as he'd arrived claiming to have forgotten a thing or two at the market.

Somehow, Cho didn't buy his explanation. There had been something more tangibly off about their consultant than usual as he'd meandered by barely acknowledging his presence. That wasn't like Jane. A distracted Jane, maybe. Not a Jane hosting a house warming party in his brand new home for the woman he loved. _That_ Jane would be oozing charm and graciousness to the degree they'd all be wondering what was up. Something didn't wash about his story. Cho was sure of that.

"What do you mean?" Lisbon leaned against the counter staring at her Number One and feeling glad the rest of her team wasn't here for this. She wished she wasn't.

"You know what I mean. Jane isn't himself and I know you had an ultrasound done a few hours ago. There isn't anything wrong with the baby?" Cho took a swig of beer from the rare bottle in his hand not wanting to hear the answer if there was.

"No, Cho, nothing's wrong with the baby." Lisbon told the truth as far as it went as she mixed red grape juice with sparkling water and took a sip.

"You're lying." Cho saw his boss start at his audacity.

"I'm not lying. We're fine in spite of the morning sickness. I haven't gained enough weight which is more of a reality than an issue as everything is fine. It's of concern, yes, but not any real danger at the moment. These things happen without an adverse affect all the time." It was Cho's turn to start at her candid answer as he wondered what was really going on.

Lisbon led the way into the den to perch awkwardly on the edge of the massive black leather sofa as she watched Cho settle in the equally massive black leather chair that was big enough for two people across the way. She honestly didn't know how to answer his query. Perhaps with the truth; but, she didn't want to go there. Not with anyone and especially not a member of her team. But, Cho wasn't just her "go to" guy. They'd been friends a long time. A lot longer than she'd been friends with Jane and that was saying a lot. They had each other's backs. They always had.

"What's going on, Teresa?" Cho asked dropping the formalities.

Yes, they did on occasion call each other by their given names. When they weren't in a professional setting and when they were doing personal in a way she didn't do with her other team members including Jane. This was one such occasion and she was grateful Kimball had shown up an hour early. He must have sensed something was wrong.

"The sonogram didn't show any abnormalities so we're okay there as far as that goes. But, it did show that the "he" we were expecting is a "she" and Jane is struggling with that." Lisbon set her drink aside and leaned back on the couch.

"Jane's pouting because he's not getting the son he claimed he was? I'll kick his ass." Cho set the barely touched beer on the coaster.

"No, you won't, and that's not it at all. Jane's very happy about the baby just as he's always been. It's just that he's not emotionally ready to have another girl…He's fine with the boy; but, this other has knocked him for an emotional loop." Lisbon said quietly.

"What exactly are you saying, Teresa?" Cho stared her straight in the eyes.

"We're having twins, Kimball." Lisbon couldn't resist a slight grin remembering Jane's face at seeing not one but two very distinct little ones on the sonogram. "A boy and girl so he's getting that son he's always wanted. And I'm getting my daughter."

"You've got to be kidding me." Cho took a restorative chug from the bottle in his hand at the thought of three Janes crowding his universe. The boss didn't count as she'd only be a "Jane" by marriage. She was a "Lisbon" by birth and would probably be the only sane one in the bunch.

"No, I don't, and I'm not." Lisbon's face broke into a grin at the thought she'd finally pulled one over on Jane.

He hadn't seen anything like this coming. But, from her reading, she'd had a suspicion or two all along. Her age and her horrible morning sickness had certainly given her reason to consider such a possibility. That's not saying she hadn't been knocked for a loop herself by the news or that she hadn't had to look at those fuzzy little photographs soon to be on their refrigerator more than once just to convince herself that was actually two of them in there. She had. She still did.

"I don't know what to say." Cho said as he walked back into the kitchen to refill Lisbon's glass and pour himself a glass of cranberry juice adding a liberal splash of sparkling water.

"Congratulations would be a nice start." Lisbon said softly.

"Congratulations." Cho said as he handed her the glass of sparkling grape juice.

"Thanks…Oh, crap." Lisbon said.

"What's the matter? Cho asked as he resumed his seat.

"I can't have the schooners and pirate ships. We're going to have to go more unisex with the nursery." Lisbon said disappointedly. "But Jane won't get his stupid flying monkeys either. I'm back to square one. Grace's is going to get her wish. I don't have any idea where to start looking for something that will suit both of them." She'd seen those pirate ships early on and the rest was history. She hadn't been open to anything since.

"Is Jane going to be all right?" Cho watched Lisbon closely not liking the shadows in her eyes.

"I think so. Once he gets past the memories, the betrayal, and the fear history will repeat itself. He's concerned he can't keep our daughter safe." Lisbon said quietly. "He hasn't said anything, Cho, but Jane's afraid Red John will try to recreate the past by targeting me and our daughter as he did Angela and Charlotte Anne. I won't let that happen. He won't either."

"Neither will we." Cho reassured her.

"And Jane wants to get married now. Like in the next couple of weeks here in the garden with a handful of our closest friends." Lisbon motioned in the direction of the garden Cho had yet to see but had been told was back there somewhere. "Personally, I think he's crazy. I don't think we can pull everything together that fast. He says we'll do it again when the carneys are back in town next year…That we'll do it right…Whatever that means." Lisbon laughed aloud at the thought of a carney wedding and all that entailed.

She wasn't sure she was ready to find out. But, it might be fun. Living with them certainly had been. Daisy could be her flower girl as Annie was much too old. Snorting grape juice at the thought, Lisbon rapidly composed herself at Cho's questioning look. He so didn't want to know.

"Sounds like a plan." Cho looked at his glass and decided cranberry juice with sparkling water wasn't half bad. He'd been curious to try a variation of what his boss was drinking and found it surprisingly good.

"So you agree with Jane?" Lisbon rose to her feet to take a covered pan from the refrigerator.

"I think I do." Cho carried his empty beer bottle into the kitchen realizing that was the first drink he'd taken more than a sip of in a number of years. He blamed Jane and his impending spawn. "I know you both want to get married before they're born."

"We've discussed that, too." Lisbon said as she opened the second oven door and slid a pan of mini quiches inside. "These should be ready about the time Wayne and Grace arrive." Together, no doubt, as they shouldn't be.

"And Jane should be back at any time." Cho said as the golden haired imp walked through the door.

"I am back and I come bearing gifts." Jane said as he swept into the kitchen with several bags in his arms as though trying to prove he had, indeed, forgotten some things. Both Lisbon and Cho's looks said he was so busted. Forgetting _anything_, much less several some things, was not bloody likely given his memory.

Ignoring them, Jane made short work of unloading his bags. The bakery made a scrumptious honey drizzled Baklava and walnut shortbread cookies that Lisbon really liked. He'd bought a carton of half and half and a few other things he didn't really need while he was out. He'd needed to kill come time before coming back home to their guests. He'd expected Rigsby and Van Pelt to show while he was gone. As they hadn't, he didn't want to contemplate what was causing the delay. If their foolishness caused Lisbon any more grief they'd hear about it. That was all he was going to think on the matter, much less say, for now. But, that didn't mean it was over.

Cho silently watched the interchange from his silent corner of the universe and wondered what kind of fool gave his lady love Hydrangea's of all things. It didn't matter the massive blooms were gorgeous intermingled shades of fuchsia, dark purple, and blue. Every idiot knew nothing said, "I'm sorry for being a jerk." like a dozen perfect roses or a really expensive bouquet with orchids or those fancy spotted lilies. Then again, not too many men would assume the way to Lisbon's heart was through flowers in the first place. Nothing about those two had made a lick of sense since that first origami frog so long ago.

He had to hand it to Jane. The man was smooth. Whatever was written on that note attached to that bouquet was doing the job. However she'd felt a minute ago, Lisbon was melting like putty. It really wasn't fair. No man should write like Jane with all those flourishes and no woman should fall for a man with handwriting like his. But Lisbon had and she seemed to have no regrets. Watching Jane kiss her hand before taking a large vase from under the sink, Cho couldn't help thinking there might be legitimate reasons she felt that way.

It was obvious their consultant took very good care of her and it wasn't for show. All he had to do was see the look in Jane's eyes when Lisbon was around. The man was head over ass in love and it wasn't with the Baby Janes. There was something to be said for seeing the natives in their natural habitat where nothing was hidden from view. He even got to watch Jane make short work of arranging four top heavy stalks of blooms in that vase in a surprisingly attractive composition before carrying it to the table and returning to the kitchen as though he'd done nothing out the ordinary.

Taking a sip of cranberry juice, Cho watched Lisbon head for the back of the house muttering under her breath about never ending potty breaks while Jane pulled the quiches from the oven and plated them on an expensive serving platter. He smiled a few minutes later when Lisbon reemerged to answer the knock at the door. Noting that Jane was distracted with the appetizers and Lisbon was busily welcoming Rigsby and Van Pelt, Cho took advantage of the moment to meander over to the arrangement on the table to sneak a peak at that note Lisbon had found so moving. There was nothing particularly earth shattering penned on the card. Just four little words: _Thank you for understanding_ written in that very distinctive script. While the words meant nothing to him, Lisbon had felt differently. They'd certainly meant something profound to her.

He'd figure all of that out later.

For now, he was going to follow everyone over to the breakfast bar where Jane was busily setting out quiches and crab stuffed mushrooms and the like. If he allowed Rigsby to get first dibs there would be nothing left. Everyone knew that.

And, from the aromas wafting from the dishes arranged on the counter, that would be a crying shame.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: I've taken artistic license with a name or two in this chapter. ~Calla

#

"Lisbon will be up and about in a bit." Jane said as he joined the team on his patio where Wayne and Grace were camping out in a shadowed corner and Cho was wandering around the parameter of their surprisingly large pool.

From the casual looks cast his way, his meaning wasn't missed on the team. It was code speak for their boss was zonked out having her after dinner nap for the next thirty minutes or better. A full belly tended to do that and Lisbon had put a serious dent in the feast compared to what she usually ate. They all hoped she hadn't paid for it later. It was past time for all of that to settle down as their boss was eating for three and needed to recover her strength.

Taking a sip of Cognac as he meandered in Cho's direction, Jane didn't miss that 'need to talk' glint in the other man's eyes. Glancing over at the settee, he decided Rigsby and Van Pelt were far too immersed in each other to really care what their cohort had on his mind. What else was new? He needed to have a talk with them or they'd be _so_ busted as Lisbon would say_. Again._ When that happened, all hell would break loose at work and Lisbon would get upset. As that wouldn't do, he was stepping in. He'd do it tonight before they left. What they did afterwards was their business.

While he didn't care what they did in private, was egging them on in fact, when what they did in public affected Lisbon all bets were off and they knew it. Devouring each other with their eyes as they were right now said it all. He could hear Lisbon's voice in his head and laughed at her very predictable commentary. They_ were _so doing it. He didn't envy her the past few nights having to supervise those two. If he found out they'd done anything in his house he had yet to do, Rigsby was a dead man…Maybe having this dinner party tonight hadn't been such a good idea as Lisbon had intimated.

The longer the evening dragged on, the more he realized he'd much rather have been spending the time alone with her.

"You okay, Jane?" Cho asked sidling up to him without preamble as Jane took a leisurely stroll around the deck.

"If you mean with doubles, I couldn't be happier, Cho. If you mean that one is my _daughter_, I don't think so. But, I will be in a day or two when I've gotten used to the betrayal."

He might as well be direct with the Korean Agent since he'd asked. Cho was man enough to handle the truth where Rigsby would balk and Van Pelt would think he was a monster to feel this way. He couldn't help the reality. A ridiculous as it seemed, a part of him found clear betrayal of his first little girl in the fact he had fathered another. That same part of him felt he was trying to replace one beloved child with another which everyone knew wasn't possible. The sane part of him knew that wasn't so. But, the guilt ridden part felt differently.

"And to the new dangers her existence brings." Jane answered honestly. "This is tough enough on Lisbon without anything more to handle."

Including him and the feelings he wished he didn't have.

It wasn't that he didn't want her. He did. Or that he didn't love her already. He did. It was that he wasn't yet ready for another daughter as he hadn't fully laid the first to rest.

"The boss is happy." Cho reminded Jane.

"I suppose she is." Jane agreed.

"Don't mess this up for her." Cho growled. "Don't let your inability to let go of the past destroy the future for both of you."

"I won't." Jane promised.

"You'll have to deal with me if you do." Cho threatened quietly.

"Not a threat to be taken lightly." Jane laughed softly.

"No, it's not." Cho agreed. "Lisbon knows he's out there watching and waiting. But, we're in here doing the same so they're going to be fine."

"Yes, you are, and so am I." Jane agreed taking another sip of Cognac noting Rigsby and Van Pelt were suddenly suspiciously quiet as though listening to their every word. "I have to believe that's enough."

He could only hope they were the only ones. While he'd swept the house and parameter for bugs, that wasn't saying they weren't still being overheard in some manner he hadn't thought of. Red John was nothing if not a crafty ghoul. He could have means they'd yet to discover. Jane certainly wouldn't put it past him.

"It will be." Cho vowed accepting Jane's answering nod.

"Enough with the mawkish drivel. What do you say to a friendly game of pool instead?" Jane suggested to everyone involved.

"What's the bet?" Rigsby asked not sure he wanted to lose another fifty bucks so soon.

"If I lose, I'll buy each of you lunch from the restaurant of your choosing for a week." Jane said.

"If we lose?" Cho asked.

"You have to help me get the nursery ready when Lisbon finally makes up her mind." Jane said.

"It's you against the three of us?" Van Pelt asked looking at Cho and Rigsby.

"Yes, Grace, I'd say it is and I don't see how you can lose." Jane admitted knowing that was far from true.

"You're on." Rigsby said having taken in Cho and Van Pelt's acquiescing shrugs and knowing the game wasn't really necessary.

All Jane had to do was ask. He'd really enjoyed getting Benjamin's nursery ready and Van Pelt was champing at the bit to get her hands on all that baby stuff. As for Cho, he'd help for the boss and enjoy himself whether he really wanted to or not. It didn't matter whether they won or lost as they were all in on the nursery. But, Rigsby had to admit, the game was more fun this way.

"Then let's get to it. Lisbon will be up soon." Jane said as he led the way towards the Billiards Room with the team in tow.

#

Having won three games in a row, Jane entered their bedroom a half hour later and gently shook Lisbon awake. As all of the guys were good with a cue, the games had moved quickly. Fortunately, as good as they were, he was much better.

"Lisbon, you need to tell your guys good-bye. It's been a long day for everyone." He said deciding she looked like a startled hedgehog all bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Her busy tail was actually a serious case of bed head but he wasn't telling that. It would get him bopped for his trouble.

"How long have I been out?" Lisbon asked.

"Close to an hour." Jane responded looking at his watch.

"You shouldn't have let me sleep that long." Lisbon couldn't believe he'd let her be that rude to her team…erm, her friends?

"You needed the rest and the guys understand. We hung out on the deck for a while before playing a little pool." Jane said as he helped her sit up.

"You better not have fleeced Rigsby again." Lisbon pushed off the bed and wandered into the bathroom to comb her hair and freshen her make-up.

"Would I do that?" Jane asked innocently.

"You know the answer and it's 'yes'." Lisbon's voice filtered through the wall.

"Then you'll be glad to know that while I did win, no money changed hands." Jane said from where he waited patiently for her return.

"Maybe no money did; but, I bet you're getting lunch for a week or something equally ludicrous." Lisbon said clearly not wanting to know.

"Hardly ludicrous; but, none of that matters as your guys await your return." Jane dismissed her query.

All three members of the team would be helping him paint the nursery and get things ready when the time came as Lisbon would discover down the road. He was already planning on pawning those two massive cribs off on the boys to assemble as Wayne had experience with such things; but, they didn't have to know that either. He preferred more of a supervisory role.

"Let's go." Lisbon said as she walked out of the bathroom and looped her arm through his.

"You look like you feel better." Jane commented.

"I do. Now let's go wrap this evening up so we can be together." Lisbon said as she gave him a kiss.

"I like the way your mind works." Jane agreed kissing her back before leading her towards the stairs.

#

"I thought they'd never leave." Jane admitted as he hung the familiar suit back in the closet having changed into his pajama bottoms.

The team had dragged the good-byes out an additionaly unnecessary half hour wanting to spend extra time with Lisbon and see that nursery they'd eventually be working on though that was going to remain their secret until the time came. One thing had led to another with Lisbon hauling out page after page of the unisex nurseries under consideration. Rigsby had put in his two cents on a big tent circus themed collection with the elephant that reminded Lisbon of Daisy wearing a purple tutu while Cho liked the cutesy, yet still realistic, jungle animals he favored and Grace cooed over the baby dinosaurs. He'd eventually thought he was going to have to eject them out the front door with a shoe horn when Cho finally took the hint and ushered his teammates down the stairs.

"You kept them here an hour longer than they would have stayed." Lisbon pointed out.

"Answering their questions and letting you sleep." Jane defended his actions. "Oh, and shooting a game or two of pool."

"Well, they're gone and I'm awake now." Lisbon said from where she sat on the bed flashing him inviting glances from under her lashes.

"I can see that." Jane said as he tugged her tank over her belly. "I'm having trouble believing there's one in there much less two."

Lisbon quirked a brow as he ran his fingers over her bare tummy with his eyes closed. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the thoughts running through his head though from the slight smile on his face she'd bet they were good. He was probably using that eidetic memory to recall every curve and shadow they'd seen on their sonograms.

"How do you think I feel?" If she hadn't seen the ultrasound for herself, she'd think her doctor was lying.

"I know how you feel. The same way I do; but, we've got the pictures to prove they're very real." Jane reminded her.

"Yes, we do." Lisbon laughed glancing over at the two gilded frames on their dresser.

Forget the refrigerator. Those small, strange, big-eyed alien pictures were lovingly framed front and center thanks to their doting daddy. Doggy pictures move over. She had a feeling there'd be duplicates of her dresser on her desk first thing Monday morning. Not that she'd mind at all. Minelli would get a kick out of seeing them. LaRoche would, too, and Bertram would follow soon after.

The man was much too curious about the Baby Janes for her peace of mind. He was always dropping in for an update under the guise of gathering intel for the spin. He was also looking at her a little funny, too. Like maybe he wasn't sure their offspring was entirely human or she'd suddenly grown two heads. It didn't help he'd called Jane some pretty spooky things over the years. It seemed Red John wasn't the only Hell spawn the big boss thought they had in their midst. Jane had been a real thorn in his side for a very long time. And she had to agree those sonograms didn't look exactly human as they'd opted out of the 3D and 4D scans agreeing with their doctor the verdict was still out on whether they were entirely safe or not. Lisbon rolled her eyes and snorted at her ridiculous thoughts catching Jane's questioning look.

"I'm not sure Bertram thinks our offspring are exactly what they should be given you're their father. He's been hanging out a lot asking personal things not really any of his business." Lisbon said. "Nothing making me uncomfortable or wrong, just things I never thought he'd be interested in."

"He still can't believe you're pregnant in the first place much less by me." Jane reminded her not sure he liked what Lisbon was saying but unwilling to alarm her. Bertram still wasn't entirely in the clear in his mind where Red John was concerned though he was starting to believe more and more with every passing day that the man might be more of an unwitting pawn than a willing collaborator. "He's told me more than once over the past few months that he thought you had more sense."

"Yeah, well, apparently he was wrong." While her life had taken some preposterous turns over the past year, she wouldn't change a single one.

Rafferty's murder was the best thing ever happening to her though she'd not believed it at the time. She'd been terrified those first weeks. Terrified and grateful Jane was her port in the storm. When their relationship had started taking a more intimate turn she'd been frightened in an entirely different way knowing if any man could destroy her it was her consultant. Fortunately, it hadn't worked out that way. Jane had told her long ago he'd always have her back. And while he'd wavered at times, when the chips were truly down, he'd proven he'd sacrifice everything to keep her safe.

"I've told him more than once I always knew we'd eventually get together." Jane told her quietly.

"Right." Lisbon snorted in disbelief that he'd had that much audacity. Then again, he was Jane, so maybe she shouldn't be surprised.

"Don't snort at me, Teresa. I know what I'm talking about." Jane rolled his eyes at the horsey sound.

"Like you knew we were having a boy _and a_ _girl_." Lisbon snorted again.

"I'm sure I knew, Lisbon. I just wasn't ready to accept it." Jane confessed honestly.

"You are psychic aren't you?" Lisbon suddenly asked the one question she'd never been willing to seriously confront him about.

"If I were don't you think Angela and Charlotte would still be alive?" Jane asked evasively.

The truth was he hadn't _seen_ anything back then. He should have as that was the norm; but, he hadn't. _Nothing_ and that was the one thing consistently puzzling him over the years…He hadn't had the slightest inkling anything was wrong when he'd entered his home. Not until he'd seen that note. Even then, he hadn't known exactly what that _anything_ was. Again, he should have. That hadn't been natural. It was also one of the niggling failures on his part sending him so perilously over the precipice into temporary madness. He should have felt _something_ as he uttered those fateful words so long ago. A warning should have sounded in his head. He should have sensed danger in time to save them…In time to warn Angela to take Charlotte Anne far, far away. But, he hadn't, and he'd hated himself ever since.

"I don't know. No one can know everything all the time. It isn't possible." Lisbon said practically as if to remind him anyone could be off their game every now and then.

"I've told you for years there's no such thing as psychics, only charlatans." Jane corrected her.

"That's not what Sammy says." Lisbon said.

"Sammy doesn't know everything." Jane chided.

"Pete says it, too." As did the bits and pieces of supporting evidence she'd gleaned over the years.

"Pete doesn't know everything." Jane rested his case.

"He's known you since you were a boy." Lisbon reminded him.

"He met me on the circuit. He knows what he saw and nothing more." Jane corrected her.

"That was enough to convince him you were the real deal." Lisbon informed him.

"Pish. I've told you before, there's no such thing as psychics. They don't really exist." Jane said again. "Perhaps I get insights at times; but, they're only as good as my interpretation in the heat of the moment. That's a lot of room for error and it's true for anyone claiming such abilities.

Believe me when I say I trust what I observe with my eyes, hear with my ears, and experience with my senses far more than any random image or impression flickering across my mind." Jane answered her question honestly. "If my talents make me "psychic" in some people's eyes, there's nothing I can do about what they choose to believe. To me, I'm simply using the attributes I was born with and developed over time. So, I repeat, there's no such thing as physics. Why does it matter anyway?"

"It doesn't. Not really. Maybe I just want to know what I'm up against." Lisbon confessed resting her hands lightly on her belly.

"You're going to be up against two very normal, brighter than average scamps who are going to run both of us ragged. Other than that, there's nothing to concern yourself about. If either of our children, or both of them, end up with my abilities or anything similar I'll teach them everything they need to know." Jane reassured her.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Lisbon smiled as he pressed his ear against her belly as though listening to voices she couldn't hear.

"My son says that wasn't a nice thing to say." Jane closed his eyes with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, well, _our_ son doesn't know you yet." Lisbon stated bluntly. "I do."

"I suppose you do." Jane said opening his eyes.

"Trust me, I do, and what I really want to know… are you going to hang out around my navel all night or are you going to kiss me?" Lisbon asked.

"I'm not hanging out around your navel." Jane corrected her. "I'm having a conversation with my son."

"You need to have a conversation with your daughter, Patrick." Lisbon said quietly. "One apologizing to her for being the jackass you've been most of the day."

"You may be right." Jane glanced up at her face deciding that Kimball Cho was a very wise man.

"I am." Lisbon said firmly.

"Then tell my daughter I'm sorry and I love her very much." Jane said.

"Tell her youself. Since you seem to think you can talk to our son through my belly button, I'm sure you can communicate with our daughter the same way." Lisbon corrected him.

Grinning at the thought that was exactly what he was doing in a very nonsensical way, Jane pressed his lips against the side of her belly before leaning back on his heels to look at the spot where his daughter had been earlier in the day. For all he knew she'd flip flopped with her brother at some point; but, he was going to assume she hadn't. It made his job that much less difficult. Besides, he preferred to think she was taking after her mother and as such was fully capable of standing her ground against an upstart bullying relative.

"Little girl, Daddy loves you very much." Jane said to the expanse of smooth, pale skin beneath his lips.

"And he's sorry for being such a jackass in the first place." Lisbon persistently prodded.

"Fine. And I'm sorry for being such a jackass in the first place." Jane repeated happy to see the ghost of a smile playing across her lips.

"She says you're forgiven." Lisbon conveyed. "You're going to be a great father, Jane, and they're going to love you for it."

"I fully intend to be, Lisbon, but at the moment I'd rather be a better husband." Jane said.

"We aren't married yet." Lisbon reminded him.

"That technicality won't apply much longer. I contacted a wedding planner a couple of days ago while you were at your place. She's agreed to take us on. We have an appointment with her Monday after work." Jane said expecting Lisbon to hit the roof.

"You can't be serious." Lisbon wasn't sure whether to be angry or grateful he'd taken the whole mess off her hands as she knew he wasn't going to let it go until the deed was done.

"Perfectly." He could feel Lisbon's indecision radiating off her in waves. "I'm not trying to take the planning away from you. Jenna is here to do the things neither of us have time for and to see that you have the wedding you want."

"It seems foolish to even consider such a thing with all the death surrounding us." Lisbon said reflexively thinking about the barrage of cases hitting her desk lately. Fortunately, none of them had been Red John and they'd quickly solved them with Jane's assistance.

"Death is part of the job, Lisbon, and life goes on. Of more important consideration, my putting that second ring on your finger is going to make him madder than he already is. You have to decide if you're ready to take that step and accept the consequences before they're born. No matter what I've said to the contrary, we can certainly wait." Jane quietly reassured her.

"I'm not letting Red John dictate my life. We both want to be married before they come and Virgil's wedding is still six months away so we aren't interfering with Mae's happy moment…I say we do it." Lisbon agreed thinking the sooner the better while she could still get a dress effectively hiding her pregnancy.

"Teresa, get the dress you want. It's not like we can really hide the fact we're doing things out of order." Jane read her mind. "I'm sure our children will understand our lives were complex at the time of their conception when they're old enough and that I would have married you prior to this happening had it been possible. My having bought those rings long before we ever got together should tell you everything you need to know." Jane calmly reminded her. "It's not like I would give another woman emeralds. They'll always belong to you."

Lisbon thought back over an emerald and diamond set she'd worn briefly years ago. A part of her wished she'd kept that necklace and earrings especially given the turn her life had taken. Either way, giving her emeralds was a precedent Jane had set in the early days and it seemed one he meant to continue. Who was she to complain? She'd always been fond of the gems as they brought out the green in her eyes.

"You want to go with me to get the dress?" Lisbon asked as she watched Jane give her belly one last kiss before pulling her shirt down and sitting on the end of the bed beside her. "It's not the way it's usually done; but, I wouldn't mind."

"Take Van Pelt. I'm enough of a traditionalist not to want to see you in your wedding dress until the appropriate time on our wedding day." Jane calmly refused her offer.

"Okay, I will, but I'll shoot her if she tries to get me into anything with ruffles and bows." Lisbon promised.

"You do that." Jane couldn't help laughing at the very Lisbon comment.

"As put out as I was with you for arranging this whole get together tonight, I think you were right." Lisbon said quietly as she crawled across the bed to climb on his lap glad she still fit and knowing she wouldn't much longer. "The guys needed to see us together out of the office."

"You may be right." Jane agreed wondering what she was getting at.

"I think maybe we should do it again." Lisbon said quietly kissing his jaw.

"You may be right." Jane agreed kissing her back.

It had certainly been fun watching Wayne and Grace making googley eyes at each other on the sly while Lisbon's stoic right hand had spent the evening being the quiet riot that was Kimball Cho. If Jane was honest, he'd found Cho the most amusing of the three. There had been several times over the course of the evening when he hadn't been sure he wasn't going to be hauled outside to get a thorough dressing down. It wasn't that he wouldn't have deserved it. It was more that Lisbon was fully capable of dealing with her own problems…especially him. So disaster had been averted at the last possible moment by her interference.

"I am; but, we'll talk about all of that later. Right now, I think I'm more interested in other things." Lisbon said pushing him back on the bed.

"And I think we're on the same page." Jane agreed.

"Then that's a good thing." Lisbon said in a tone saying he didn't have a choice if it wasn't.

Pulling her tank over her head, Jane shot her a look conveying getting sexually mauled by his Lisbon was a good thing in his book.

#

Pushing three weeks of not so domestic bliss in their new home as Lisbon was _not_ happy to be starting over with the whole nursery thing this late in the game, Jane was feeling more than slightly harried. That it appeared they were indeed settling on some variation of his jungle animals theme wasn't helping matters. Neither was the reality they would most likely end up with two rather large, elaborate mahogany cribs more in keeping with the rest of their furnishings rather than the quaint Cape Cod influenced jobs she'd wanted. It didn't matter that Lisbon had been at peace discussing the nursery décor with the team that night at their home a lifetime ago, everything had gone to hell in a hand basket since.

Jane had learned to his surprise that Lisbon could be quite the petulant mommy-to-be when she didn't get her way on certain things. Maybe he'd settle for the dinosaur babies she was almost convinced she liked to restore the peace. It wasn't airplane flying monkeys; but, the cute ensemble of vibrantly colored dinos would do in a pinch. She had to settle soon as they were rapidly running out of time and it would take a while to get everything ready. Shaking his head, Jane was sure Angela hadn't been nearly as much trouble when expecting. Then again, his late wife had been an artist so he'd not been that involved in the finer details of what had eventually become Charlotte Anne's ultra girly, flowery abode.

Adding to Jane's annoyance, their resident serial killer had decided to strike a week before their wedding and he'd not struck just anyone. He'd slaughtered a spiteful ball of fire happening to be a spoiled rotten pseudo television journalist from a prominent publishing family so the pressure was on from everyone from State Senators to the Mayor to Bertram to Minelli on down. The foolish, mean spirited wench had chosen to dig where everyone said she shouldn't. She'd then blithely vocalized her mostly unfounded observations in the most scathing of commentary for all of Sacramento to hear on her sorry excuse for a daddy funded talk show.

Jane had known another one bites the dust before she batted her baby blues at the camera during sign off.

He hadn't been wrong.

Nor had anyone at the CBI expected him to be.

Now, all they knew conclusively was that while the vibrant red head had entered her dressing room, Gillian Short never exited it. She'd been found almost two hours later languishing under the familiar drippy sign of her not so gentlemanly caller. Jane couldn't help the morbid thought she'd not been nearly as pretty in death as she'd been in life. The blood drenching her body to pool so evocatively around her chair had clashed horribly with the firelight in her hair. That had been a couple of days ago. Now, from the sound of things, they'd scored a second victim in as many days.

Pulling to a halt on the street, he killed the engine and opened his door. Leaving the two lidded cups of coffee in the holder on the seat beside him, Jane exited his car. He'd been trying to purchase a much needed surprise for Lisbon the whole time his phone was constantly vibrating. He'd refused to answer any calls until he had a large coffee and a pumpkin spice muffin from her favorite bustling coffee shop on the corner in hand. Once he'd deigned to answer the annoying piece of electronics, he'd been rudely interrupted by Cho demanding his presence at a crime scene. Fortunately, he'd been near the end of his transaction when the calls started and all of ten minutes away when he'd finally answered so he shouldn't be in that much trouble with Lisbon.

Unfortunately, from the looks of things, the body wasn't anyone he wanted to see now that he'd finally gotten here. It was one of their own and, again, not entirely unexpected given the things he knew. That and Montgomery's inability to keep her opinions to herself or her pretty mouth shut. She'd had to answer that bottom feeder of a reporter's questions "off the record" not caring doing so was against CBI policy. If Red John hadn't gotten her, Bertram eventually would have.

"Lisbon, honestly, I'm sure you've seen all there is to see there." Jane said as he walked up behind the team to find his fiancée squatting on her haunches poking at the body with one gloved hand.

"Shush, Jane. I'm working which is more than I can say for you." Lisbon snarked as she decided, as much as she wished otherwise, there was no denying this was classic Red John.

The small square of paper clutched in Montgomery's hand underscored that without seeing the artwork on the wall. Nope, the tiny snippet with the red smiley face meant just for her was identification enough without all the rest. That seemingly insignificant bit of nothing that was going to send Jane into a tailspin though he'd hide very well. She'd been praying for years that Red John would lose it one day and off himself making life so much easier for everyone involved. It hadn't happened yet and she wasn't holding her breath he'd do it any time soon. Not when he was having so much fun killing other people and driving them slowly nuts.

Rising to her feet, Lisbon decided the only thing missing to make this whole surreal experience a real creeper was finding a dead mouse on her desk or in her drawer. That better like hell not happen or she'd find the sorry s.o.b. putting it there and shoot him like the deranged tool he was. She'd tear the CBI apart to get him if necessary. This was all going to stop one way or another. And it couldn't happen soon enough.

Frankly, she was getting tired of finding personal calling cards every time she turned around. A certain serial killer needed to get a life and leave her alone. She wasn't enjoying their exchanges one little bit nor were the Patricks in her life. She was sure her daughter wasn't either; but, she was being much better behaved than her brother who was currently kicking his mommy's insides out. Doing a double take, Lisbon admitted she was being prejudiced in a way she shouldn't be. It could just as easily be her daughter making a nuisance of herself as her son. She couldn't really tell.

"Oh, I assure you I am working. Montgomery, against anyone's better judgment, had to speak to that vulture lurking around the parking lot at the CBI. Making matters worse, she had to speak her mind when it wasn't necessary. Saying Red John was nothing but a deranged freak who saw himself as some kind of criminal mastermind when he was nothing more than a crazy toad who should crawl back into the hole he the crawled out of wasn't the wisest course of action." Jane quoted Montgomery verbatim adding a word or two of his own.

"I don't suppose it was." Lisbon agreed as she walked around the body yet again hoping to see something she'd missed.

"And we all knew what was likely to happen next which is why there was surveillance on her street all night. Not that it did any good when it came time for her midnight caller to act." Jane said.

"How do you know she was killed around midnight?" Lisbon asked as she studied the blood splatter on the wall.

"The same way I knew you were pregnant before you did. I'm a very observant man." Jane responded deciding Montgomery's too feminine bedroom really wasn't in keeping with her "one of the boys" persona.

Nosing about the room, Jane instantly realized she'd become a cop because her father expected her to follow in his footsteps as his only child and, being a daddy's girl, she'd fulfilled his wishes. The photo of her with an older man in uniform on her dresser told that story. It wasn't that much of a sacrifice as she'd obviously enjoyed her work with the Cyber Crimes Unit and she'd excelled at her duties. That was where their teams had overlapped. Red John was fond of hacking into the CBI computers and had availed himself of that opportunity a number of times over the years. Montgomery had been the liaison between Lisbon and her superiors. They'd all worked well together.

From what he could see around him, as good a cop as she was, law enforcement wasn't the career Montgomery would have chosen for herself. From the books on her wall, she'd leaned more towards fashion and interior design. That explained why she cleaned up so nicely for the Christmas Party. She was probably wearing one of her own creations. It also explained the small sewing room off of her bedroom. She'd had aspirations of a second career from the drawings and work in progress still adorning the dressmaker's dummy. From the looks of the outfit she'd been making, Montgomery wasn't without talent. Whether enough to launch her dreams, no one would ever know.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon reprimanded him. "This shouldn't have happened. We had two units out there all night. The last time Tipton touched base with Montgomery, it was 11:55. She said she was about to turn off the lights and go to sleep."

"Red John turned them off permanently instead." Jane walked down the stairs into the back hall towards the small utility room where Montgomery did her laundry. "They entered here with her key and went up the stairs to her room. I'm sure it amused Red John no end every time the officers called in to check on Montgomery and she told them everything was fine. He was probably equally amused staring at that gun on her bedside table and knowing it was hardly an equalizer. He didn't even bother moving it out of reach. He knew she didn't stand a chance once he got his hands on her. There was nothing Sheila Montgomery could do but wait for the end she knew was coming."

"Did you have to say that?" Lisbon asked as they walked back into the bedroom to note the law enforcement issue hand gun exactly where Jane said it was.

"Yes, I did. This place has about as much security as your place did so it wasn't difficult to get Montgomery inside and subdue her. I'm sure she spent the next several hours in unspeakable terror. Hoping he wouldn't kill her; but, knowing he eventually would." Jane said quietly.

"This shouldn't have happened. We should have done more. Montgomery was one of us." Lisbon hated it when cops died.

She hated it even more when it wasn't in the line of duty. A good cop should go out in a blaze of glory if they couldn't die in their bed of old age knowing they'd spent their life in a job well done. Montgomery's demise was tainted by the knowledge she'd brought it on herself by her undisciplined tongue. That wasn't right. She was a good cop and she deserved better.

"There was nothing we could do. Sheila knew what would happen when she ran her mouth like that. She'd been around the Red John case as long as you have. She'd seen people die for less than the words she'd uttered." Jane's tone was as completely void of sympathy as it would be for a stranger.

His tolerance for fools was only slightly higher than Red John's which wasn't saying much beyond unlike a certain serial killer, he didn't kill them for their foibles. He might wish he could at times. But, he'd never, ever do such a thing. That wasn't his style. He much preferred driving them crazy instead. Such antics were far more amusing with far less nasty repercussions.

"They think he might have taken her from the CBI." Lisbon stated the current theory.

"From the back parking lot I'd say. When they check the video, that's what it'll show. However, there won't be anything identifiable about the perpetrator. We both know that. It mostly likely wasn't even Red John but one of his tools charged with getting Montgomery from her work place to her home. His master was waiting inside. " Jane found the whole scenario disgustingly underhanded.

"You're saying he took her something like Wainwright was taken." Lisbon said.

"Luther exited the building with someone he knew and trusted. Someone who delivered him to Red John instead of taking him wherever he thought they were going." Jane cleared up that matter.

"Like he could take me." Lisbon shuddered at that thought of that small, decorated square of paper.

"Like he could try." Jane agreed as he didn't intend letting her out of his sight since this latest killing.

"That's what all of this is saying." Lisbon said glad her team was off interviewing witnesses in neighboring townhomes and the forensics team was milling about downstairs.

"That's part of it, yes. He's letting us know he could take you any time he likes but it's more than that. He was also making an example of a woman who blatantly disrespected him in a very public manner." Jane corrected her.

"I suppose." He might as well kill two birds with one stone.

"There's no supposing to it. He was. Take my word for it." Jane said more forcefully.

"I do. It's the other I can't handle." Lisbon capitulated.

"You don't have a choice. I think you should remove yourself from this case and let Cho handle it. He's perfectly capable and you're much too close to this one. While not a close friend, Montgomery was more than a casual acquaintance. Working her case is only stressing you more." Jane decided looking at her. While it was more the parallels to her own life upsetting Lisbon, she was genuinely distressed over Montgomery's murder on a personal level. She'd admired the woman's competency and fearless manner. They'd been casual, work place friends.

"I can't do that, Jane, we'll lose access to valuable information we might need." Lisbon watched a couple of techs meander back into the room and led Jane out the door and down the stairs to the kitchen.

Deciding there was nothing she really needed to see, and this conversation might be better finished in the parking lot, Lisbon walked out the front door knowing Jane was behind her.

"Then you have to stop internalizing all of this. If you don't, I'm going to have you removed from this case right now. Don't push me on it or Minelli won't have to remove you. I will." Lisbon was clearly more agitated than was good for her or their children from the flushing of her skin.

"I'll try." Lisbon promised.

"Do it or you'll find yourself at home with your feet on the coffee table so fast it'll make your head spin. I won't have my kids born in the field, Teresa, and the way you're driving yourself on these last two murders, those bothersome Braxton-Hicks could easily turn into something more serious if you're not more careful. You need to remember twins tend to be born earlier rather than later anyway. Added to that, this isn't the easiest pregnancy I've ever seen." Lisbon's silence betrayed he was right. "In fact, I'm taking you back to the office now. Cho can take charge of the team and update us when the canvassing is done."

"I can't leave, Jane. This is my case." It didn't matter that she'd already seen all there was to see and learned all there was to know at the moment. SA's didn't leave the crime scene prematurely and this was definitely premature. It just wasn't done.

"You've seen all you need to see at the moment." She'd already been over the body numerous times with her glove covered hands being careful not to contaminate evidence. "Besides, you're uncomfortable and our child takes precedence over any case. Even a case centered around a fallen comrade. We can begin work at the office once you calm down." Jane said quietly not really surprised by Lisbon's acquiescing nod.

The discomfort must be worse than he thought for her to give up so easily. He'd have to watch her carefully. It wouldn't surprise him to discover her contractions were the real deal soon. Their offspring were bound to come early given how tightly Lisbon was wound; but, not this early. The recent rash in Red John cases wasn't helping their cause. Walking towards Cho, Jane shared Lisbon's concerns. If Red John intended to strike, he was running out of time. They were easing into their third trimester and he'd done nothing but subtly torture them from afar.

Calmly informing Cho they were leaving and the crime scene wrap up was his baby; Jane walked Lisbon out to his car. Unlocking the passenger side door, he grabbed the cup holder and lifted it out of the way while he helped Lisbon slide into the seat. Closing the door and walking around the car, he sat in his seat offering her one of the still hot cups.

"What's this?" She asked without lifting the lid.

"French Vanilla Bean coffee." That he hoped was still her latest favorite.

"Good. What's in the bag?" Lisbon asked shaking it.

"What do you think?" Jane asked starting the ignition.

"A chocolate cherry muffin from Salvatore's?" Lisbon guessed.

"Try again." Jane said as he pulled onto the street.

"My favorite pumpkin pie spiced muffin?" She guessed again.

"Apparently you've been a very good girl." Jane agreed as he flipped his right turn signal.

"I'll eat it back in my office. Right now I need the coffee more." Jane watched her take a sip of coffee and savored the flavor. He wasn't surprised when she set her cup aside a few minutes later having enjoyed three whole sips.

"You were all right this morning." Jane observed. She'd not been nearly as vilely ill as she usually was.

"I'm alright now. It's just the smell of blood making me queasy and there was a lot of blood back there." Lisbon opened her eyes to glance in his direction.

"Right. Will you be all right until we get back to the office?" Jane asked mildly concerned.

"I think so. I'm going to close my eyes for a few minutes." Lisbon said as she turned her head down and closed her eyes.

"I'll wake you when we get there." Jane agreed with his eyes focused on the idiot weaving in and out of traffic on his motorcycle in a way dangerous to himself and everyone else.

Lisbon mumbled something incoherent as she nodded off thinking that was fine as long as he did it with a kiss.

#

"Lisbon."

Jane poked his head in the bathroom glad his entrance wasn't met by outraged feminine screams. They'd been back at the CBI a whole ten minutes and Lisbon had yet to make it to her office. She had her head buried in a toilet instead.

"You can't be in here." Lisbon protested from the third stall from the right.

"Why not? There's no one in here but you, me, and the Baby Janes and they're not protesting so why are you? Besides, Johnson and Capelli saw me come in here so it's probably all over the CBI that I'm in the ladies room by now." Jane supplied only to be rewarded with yet more gagging sounds at his words.

"Did you have to tell me that? God only knows what they'll say we're up to in here." Lisbon flushed the toilet as she fought the urge to curl in a ball and die.

"Nothing salacious I'm sure." Jane said innocently.

"Right." Lisbon could only imagine.

"Teresa, be real. They'll say you're hurling and I'm being an overprotective wuss. What do you think they'll say?" Jane said as he pushed the stall door open. "If there are any doubters out there, all they'll have to do is take one look at you to see the error of their ways. You hardly have the glow of passion about you." She looked more like a woman coming off of a three day drunk and she didn't smell much better. "Lisbon, honestly, you're all but laying on that filthy floor clinging to a less that pristine toilet. Home, I understand; but, here, it's just plain gross."

"Bite me." Lisbon said as she allowed him to pull her to her feet and escort her out of the stall.

"I brought your toothbrush and toothpaste." Jane said as he reached in his pocket before holding out his offering.

"Thanks." Lisbon took the toothbrush and paste before leaning over to brush her teeth.

"You're very welcome." Jane said as he watched her more intently than he should.

"I guess it wouldn't be polite if I told you to go away and let me finish on my own?" Lisbon said as she touched up her makeup as best she could with the liner and lipstick in her pocket.

"Not particularly. How about if I escort you back to your office and make you a cup of tea instead?" Jane counter offered.

"I think I'd like that." Lisbon agreed handing him her tooth brush and tooth paste.

"Then I can do that." Opening the door Jane winked at Minelli's resigned eye roll in passing.

Lisbon's boss would have to be wandering by when they made their unlikely escape from such an inappropriate place. Well, inappropriate for him. It was perfectly fine for Lisbon. Given Virgil had to know what was behind it, he wouldn't say a thing. Or if he did, he'd do it in private to him.

"Was that Minelli I just saw?" Lisbon asked.

"What if it was? Go have a seat while I make your tea." Jane gave her a slight push in the direction of her office.

"He's going to have something to say." Lisbon said as she sank down on the couch.

"I don't think so." Jane corrected her as he walked out the door only to reappear a few minutes later. If he did, it wouldn't be to her so Lisbon didn't need to be concerned.

"Here." Jane handed Lisbon a cup of tea as he sat on the end of the couch and removed both of her shoes.

"Honestly, Jane, I'm a CBI Agent. I can't be lounging on my couch getting foot rubs while the rest of my guys are out working." She watched him grasp one of her feet as she took a sip of goodness only knew what kind of tea. Whatever it was, she liked it. It was much better than that other stuff she was forced to drink for her morning sickness.

"Shush, Teresa, as soon as you're feeling better we'll get to work. In the interim, you're going to relax. Doctor's orders." Jane said as he massaged the arch of her foot.

"I don't see a doctor here, Jane." Lisbon observed.

"I'm sure Dr. Youst would tell me to take you home if I called her so I'd say it's my way or the highway." Jane clarified knowing she'd probably suggest he bring Lisbon by her office which would only make matters worse.

"You wouldn't." Lisbon responded indignantly.

"Try me." He certainly would.

"Fine, massage away, Dr. Jane." Lisbon arched a brow when he shifted from rubbing the top of her foot back to the sole.

"They're calming down all ready." Jane commented in passing as he continued expertly rubbing the ball of her foot.

"Yeah, they are. How can you tell?" Resting her hand across her stomach, she had to agree that the high kicks deep in her belly were calming down.

Her little ones weren't kicking her guts out anymore now they'd made it abundantly clear they found daddy foot rubs preferable to bloody crime scenes. Mommy did, too; but, that would have to remain their secret. It wouldn't do for her team to think she was slacking on the job.

"You're calming down." Jane corrected.

"I guess I am." For the most part, once the morning sickness from hell passed, her babies were good little parasites until it was time for the next bout of puking.

When her rambunctious duo wasn't making her sick, they preferred being active during the day and sleeping all night as they should so she didn't have any complaints there. And they weren't overly aggressive with the kicks unless she was agitated. Unfortunately, that happened much too often lately. Her doctor had told her even that would slow down the farther she advanced in her pregnancy. Lisbon wasn't sure how she felt about such a change. She'd gotten as used to Patrick's pirouettes and her daughter's high kicks as Jane had. It would be unsettling for both of them when it stopped soon.

"You're doing it again, Teresa." Jane said as he massaged deftly between her toes.

"Doing what?" Lisbon asked innocently.

"Calling him "Patrick" in your mind. I've already told you how I feel about that. I don't want him named after me in hopes he'll be a much better man. I can't do anything about the Jane gene; but, I suspect the integrity of his Lisbon mother will trump the less desirable qualities of his heritage in the end. I'm counting on it." Jane reminded her

"Since I fully intend to, there's no reason he can't be a Patrick. Besides, you're a fine man, Jane. I don't have any complaints and that should be all that matters." Lisbon leaned up to give him a soft kiss before settling back on the couch. "You can pick his middle name. As you've said to me on several occasions since all of this started, _you_ need to get over it. It's only going to upset me if you don't and we both know that isn't good for our son."

"James." Jane said quietly.

"What?" Lisbon asked not believing what she'd heard.

"James Patrick Jane." Jane stated firmly.

"We're not naming him after my father." Lisbon put her foot down just as firm.

"Why not? He was a good man once even if he lost his way…Not all of us are fortunate enough to find a friend willing to save us from ourselves. Even less of us get to call that friend anything more." Jane reminded her. "If it makes you feel better, you can tell our son he's named after his Uncle Jimmy."

"What's wrong with Alexander? It's a perfectly respectable name." Lisbon stated knowing next to nothing about Jane's father beyond his name and that he'd been a con working the Midwestern carney circuit possessing "psychic" abilities far inferior to his son's. That being said, she still liked the name.

"Yes, it's a respectable name; but, my father wasn't so we aren't going there. James Patrick Jane, Lisbon. We both get what we want so don't fight me on it. I let you have the nursery and I let you have "Patrick." The least you can do is let me have James." Jane pulled out the big guns.

"We aren't calling him "Jimmy." Lisbon groused.

"No, we aren't. One "Jimmy" in the family is enough. I figured your calling him Patrick will give you the perfect excuse to continue calling me Jane." He held out the golden carrot.

"You may be right." Lisbon agreed knowing he was on to her.

"I am." There was no reason to deny it.

"And you're an arrogant so-and-so." That wasn't going to change.

"I suppose I am." Jane agreed.

"That's okay. I love you anyway." Lisbon lightly ran her thumb over his hand.

"Good thing since you're stuck with me." Jane didn't have to say he loved her in return as Lisbon already knew. He showed her every day.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." That the words sounded strange to her ears didn't make them any less true.

"Neither would I." Jane absently responded as he rubbed the top of her foot. "Aislinn."

"What?" Lisbon pretended not to understand.

"Our daughter." Jane said calling her bluff. "Aislinn Teresa Jane."

"I'll think about it." Lisbon agreed about as delirious at the thought of tacking her name on her daughter as she was with saddling her son with James. "It's not as so never going to happen as that Ainsley Keva kick you were on a week ago."

"There's nothing wrong with Ainsley though I will admit Keva has lost a bit of its appeal." Jane looked up at the sound of the tentative knock on the door.

"Come in, Van Pelt." Lisbon said as she motioned for Jane to continue what he was doing even if it shocked Grace's sensibilities.

"Ah, Boss?" Van Pelt stuck her head around the door in response to Lisbon's acknowledgement.

"Come in, Grace. Jane's just rubbing my feet." Lisbon repeated as though it was perfectly natural to have her lover touching any part of her at the office much less her feet of all things.

"Have you been sick?" Van Pelt jumped to the logical conclusion.

"No. Why would you think that?" Lisbon asked.

"You look like something the cat dragged in." Van Pelt answered honestly without thinking.

"Yes, Grace, she's been sick. But, she'd feeling better now. What's on your mind?" Jane asked as he traded Lisbon's foot for her hand and began massaging a very deliberate spot on her wrist.

"Montgomery had a boyfriend." Van Pelt said. "That's what her sister said. A boyfriend she was very secretive about. Maybe her boyfriend was Red John."

"I don't think so." Jane said. "But, it's probable he had a Red John connection."

"So what do you want me to do?" Van Pelt asked.

"Tell Cho I said look into that angle and do whatever he says." Lisbon leaned back and closed her eyes. She'd been going full tilt since 5 a.m. and she was tired. Exhausted was more like it. She really needed a break…just a short one and not very long.

Catching Grace's eye, Jane motioned for her to leave. Reading between the lines, she knew he'd be joining them as soon as he got the boss settled. In the meantime, she'd relay Lisbon's orders to Cho. Continuing to massage her wrist until her breathing was deep and even, Jane gently laid Lisbon's hand across her waist and sipped from beneath her feet. Walking over to the bottom drawer of her filing cabinet, Jane slipped the light weight blanket he'd stored in there a few days ago without Lisbon's knowledge from its depths and unfolded it. Gently covering her with the baby blue cloth he exited her office closing the door behind him and headed in the direction of the bullpen where he'd find her team waiting.

#

"Where's the Boss?" Cho asked as he flipped a file open.

"Getting her pressure points massaged by Jane." Van Pelt watched the guys nod. It wasn't the first time any of them had walked in on a session of Reflexology. "She looks like something the cat dragged in."

"Sick again?" Rigsby took a bite of jelly filled doughnut and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

He wasn't at all disturbed by the fact his Boss wouldn't be sharing his snack. That meant there would be more for him. Nor was he concerned that Sarah hadn't suffered anything like this. The team was convinced it must have something to do with carrying not one, but two, Baby Janes. The man had been a pain in the butt since day one. Why should his kids be any different?

It wasn't that he didn't think Jane's babies would be cute little munchkins or that the man would be a good father, he did. It was just that it seemed, like with most things concerning their consultant, his kids should come with a very explicit warning label. Something along the lines of, "Being pregnant by this man can be hazardous to your health." Yeah, that sounded like a good idea. If virulent morning sickness weren't enough, he came with his very own serial killer. That was a daunting undertaking for any woman. Not that he thought the Boss would have heeded any such a caveats anyway. She obviously hadn't and she knew Jane better than anyone.

"Yeah." Van Pelt's tone was mildly concerned.

The Boss was doing better than she'd been when she'd first gotten back or she seemed to be. But, this was Lisbon they were talking about. No one really knew if what they were seeing was the truth. She'd always been very good at hiding her weaknesses and this was definitely a weakness she didn't want standing out.

Van Pelt doubted her true colleagues, or the people still whispering so nastily behind her back about things they knew nothing about, had any inkling of the struggle she was going through so gracefully just to get through the day much less perform her job as diligently as she always had. Grace smiled realizing her girl crush on her boss was as strong as ever for entirely different reasons than it had been. It was actually kind of nice to have something more than being the best cop she could be to aspire to.

Then she shook her head at the thought the depressingly old, third floor ladies room no one ever used was her boss's personal haven in times of need. Jane had found Lisbon there several times. He'd eventually let her know that was where her boss could be found when she disappeared for much too long. He wasn't crazy about his fiance going there. It made her too vulnerable to attack; but, there was nothing he could do to stop her nor did he really want to.

He simply followed her and guarded the door until he deemed it time to comfort Lisbon and escort her safely back to her office for that tasty cup of tea. Van Pelt was surprised by how gentle, nurturing, and attentive Jane was towards her boss given the sometimes contentious relationship between them since the start. She then decided she shouldn't be. There had always been something special between them. She'd seen glimpses of it over the years as had everyone else.

Turning her thoughts back to Lisbon's difficulties, Grace admitted stress seemed to trigger her issues and her job was nothing but stress lately. Jane had reassured them while miserable at times, Lisbon was fine and her doctor was pleased with her progress so they need not worry overmuch. Sometimes they weren't so sure. Her, especially, being the only woman in the bunch. Fortunately, Jane seemed to be on his best behavior lately.

Particularly since Lisbon had moved that ring from the chain around her neck to the appropriate finger for everyone to see. That had started a whole new round of gossip, mostly supportive, but some of the nastier variety they'd not expected. It seemed some of the woman around the CBI weren't all that willing to believe Jane was permanently off the market. As if a pregnant lover he loved very much, and quite openly, wasn't enough to indicate he was seriously taken. Some people should get a clue. Jane so wasn't looking. Not that he'd ever been.

"She should be home." Cho stated flipping the file closed.

"While I feel the same, Lisbon won't have it and she's the boss. She's also probably right. She's safer here surrounded by all of you than she would be at home alone. She feels less afraid though I'll deny I ever said that if any of you bother telling her. She's having a hard enough time coping with being frightened in the first place."

Jane said as he walked into the bull pen.

"As for the other, don't be too concerned about your Boss. While uncomfortable, I've been assured they're both healthy and not in any serious physical danger from her difficulties at the moment. Lisbon isn't either as long as she stays hydrated. Her doctor is monitoring the situation closely and will intervene if necessary. At the moment it isn't. I wouldn't lie to you about something like that." Jane propped on the edge of Cho's desk.

"For now, Teresa is cat napping on her couch so we can take a look at what little we have on Montgomery's murder. I'm going to have to wake her up in about fifteen minutes so we need to move fast." Jane left the "or she'd kick his butt" unsaid. The team knew the score on that one and put a lot of effort into helping him keep those power naps well hidden. It was the least we can do for the Boss.

"Here's what we know." Cho said as he flipped the file open again.

Looking at the pictures including that small square of paper he didn't want to see, Jane decided it was a shame Montgomery had opened her mouth. She'd been spunky and well liked by everyone. She'd also been too good a cop to die in such an ignoble manner in such terror and pain because of a foolish slip of the tongue. What a shame. Gazing briefly at the file, Jane absorbed the pertinent details and filed them in his memory palace before handing it back to Cho and flipping open a second file.

The journalist was a different story. She'd been vitriolic and mean-spirited as only a wealthy, beautiful, _untouchable_ woman can be. Red John had shown her the error of her ways. By the time he was finished, she was neither beautiful nor untouchable. As for the wealthy part, she couldn't take that with her. Jane shook his head realizing the serial killer had been in and out of her secluded dressing room long before anyone knew there was a problem. He hadn't even been particularly quick in the kill choosing to take his time proving he was no one to play with much as he'd done with Montgomery.

Fortunately for the redhead, he'd not had as much time to make her suffer: a mere thirty minutes or so instead of several hours. It was well known, thanks to the public's incessant need to know, that Gillian Short wasn't to be approached under any circumstances until she'd had a couple of hours to decompress. Thanks to Miss Short's publicity team's willingness to tell all, a serial killer had known his window of opportunity and availed himself of it. He'd probably been waiting in her dressing room having clearly gotten past security.

Connecting the dots in his mind and handing the file back to Cho, Jane acknowledged they really didn't have crap to go on beyond both women had been murdered by Red John….

What else was new?


	21. Chapter 21

#

Jane exited his car and followed the walkway into the shadows by the wall around the back of the building. Making his way up the path to the rear entrance to Montgomery's townhouse, he knew his suppositions were right. No one would think twice about a man and a woman creeping along in plain sight. Not when one of them was oblivious to her fate and the other was playing the attentive lover. None of that was anything out of the ordinary in a complex of young professionals like this. Just a couple like any other couple returning home from a long day's work and exactly why no one remembered what the man looked like beyond average height, average build, nice enough looking, with dirty blonde to light brown hair.

Definitely not Red John in his estimation…too short and too non-descript.

Pulling the gloves he'd stolen from Lisbon's desk out of his pocket, Jane snapped them over his fingers. Picking the lock on the door and ducking beneath the betraying yellow tape, he entered the crime scene knowing Lisbon, and probably Minelli to some lesser degree, was going to have a few choice words to say over his actions. But, he needed to see the crime scene one more time and he needed to see it alone. Some things were better done without an audience and this was one of them.

Fortunately, Lisbon was distracted with the wedding planner for the next few hours going over last minute plans. They were getting married tomorrow having managed to get everything together for their small ceremony in less than two weeks. Van Pelt had helped Lisbon to select her dress while he'd slipped away to purchase the blue gray tuxedo she didn't know he was wearing. All in all, the arranging had gone much smoother than anticipated. They were only inviting a few close friends and family members all of which knew it would be an elegant; but hastily pulled together affair.

Jane had learned to his amusement being told cost was irrelevant made up for much of the time they didn't have whether it was with their take charge planner, the musicians, or the caterers. Not that their wedding was particularly expensive even with the unanticipated expenses. It wasn't when compared to the usual affair. Besides, all he truly cared about was Lisbon having what she wanted in the end. The how and why didn't really matter. If throwing a few hundred dollars here, or a thousand or two there, made the difference so be it. He'd simply told her don't bother asking. Consider it done.

Walking through the townhouse, Jane purged his mind of his upcoming nuptials withdrawing into his senses instead. While his methods were not Kristina's and he wasn't seeking any kind of "spiritual" interactions, he _was _seeking answers he wouldn't necessarily find with his eyes alone. What he knew of people and their reactions was a nice place to start. Walking back into the laundry room, Jane studied the door for any signs of forced entry the police might have missed. As he expected, there was none.

Red John had let himself into Montgomery's home while she was at work. If Jane didn't miss his guess, and he knew he didn't, the serial killer had opened that lock with a key the CBI Agent's lover had pilfered from her home or been given by the woman herself. There was no way of knowing at this point which scenario was true. What he did know was Red John had waited patiently for his prey to arrive and get firmly trapped with no hope of escaping before he'd made his presence known.

Walking out of the laundry room into the den, Jane knew this was where Montgomery had become aware she had an uninvited guest. Where she'd come to realize nothing was as it seemed with her lover. Her despair at discovering herself abandoned to her fate all but hung in the air. She'd been brutally betrayed much as Grace had been betrayed by O'Laughlin; but, unlike Van Pelt she'd never had a fighting chance. All of her training had been for naught as she'd been easily overcome before she could protect herself. No doubt by the man she'd trusted…Perhaps even loved…He couldn't imagine a fate worse than that.

Stepping into the hallway, Jane allowed the sensory impressions to flow over him and tried to make sense of the disjointed images flooding through his mind. The one thing he knew with certainty was that terror permeated the atmosphere. Montgomery had deeply trusted the man bringing her here much as Grace had trusted O'Laughlin with that blind affection that could be so debilitating. And that man had used her body and her soul and picked her mind for information in the vilest possible ways in return.

He'd also ensured Montgomery ended up on a cold metal slab when Red John was done.

Shaking his head in disgust, Jane hoped that boyfriend was on the receiving end of a one way ticket to Hell when they finally found him. A bullet through the brain seemed a fitting solution. If it was special delivery by Lisbon's hand it would be even better considering what the loss of her friend had done to her. While Jane wasn't sure he believed in Hell, and had always maintained he didn't, his other half did and that was enough for him. Besides, a bomb vest and a shot to the shoulder for his favorite girl had a way of altering a man's belief system and he wasn't as sure as he used to be that that Big Guy in the Sky didn't really exist. He'd saved a certain cross wearing tomboy more times than she should have been. Jane was grateful for that and always would be. The least he could do was admit He might exist.

Walking toward the fateful bedroom, Jane hesitated in the hall closing his eyes and preparing himself for what was to come. Opening his eyes, he took the necessary steps forward and slowly opened the door the retreating cops had closed behind them with gloved hands. He'd donned the latex before entering the crime scene out of deference for Lisbon's sensibilities and out of a futile hope that his impromptu perusal might go unnoticed. He'd know how that played out before too long. As it was, sliding that door open felt too much like opening another door a life time ago.

Fighting to control his emotions, Jane did what had to be done and shoved the door the rest of the way open. Reluctantly halting in the threshold, he allowed the dread to wash over him as he took in first the congealed, drippy face on the wall before absorbing what lay below. It was as it had always been: first the face…then the knowing. The only question remaining was who the hapless victim was.

Dropping his eyes, he relived seeing the body sprawled underneath…Actually, he relived the moment he'd seen Lisbon bowing over Montgomery's lifeless corpse her back ramrod straight as she fought against the emotions threatening to overwhelm her…If he knew his Lisbon, and he did, she was torn between violent cursing and unrestrained tears. She'd been wholly professional instead.

Turning his attention to the blood splattered walls and mattress, Jane knew exactly what had gone down here. Red John had reduced a trained law enforcement officer to a terrorized blob of humanity long before he was done. Montgomery had cursed and cried and begged knowing all of it was future. She'd seen what Red John could do and known whay lay ahead for her. Or she'd thought she had. He'd cut and stabbed her in ways, that while hardly life threatening on their own, were agonizingly painful in their entirety. He'd amped up the emotional duress by telling her everything he would do to her long before he'd done it. He'd preyed on her fears and pain drawing strength from her misery. In the end, he'd finally stabbed and slashed her to death as he'd done so many others. But, he hadn't painted her toes red.

She'd not been a special victim.

The one thing Jane didn't know was if it had been as it was with his other victims. Or if he'd done to Montgomery what he'd done to Miranda Martens. If he'd put her through a woman's worse nightmare, and a female cop's in particular, as they should be able to prevent such things from happening. Or so they usually thought though Jane knew better. He shook himself. They'd have to get the M.E.'s report to know that and they didn't have it yet. At this moment in time, they didn't have a lot of things they would need to solve this case.

Taking one last look around, Jane hoped they would have more than they did by the time he left. He was sure they would. He'd already noted a thing or two he'd missed the first time around and if he'd missed it everyone had. It just might take him a while to fit these newest pieces into the puzzle though. Deciding he'd seen enough, Jane gave one last perusal to make sure everything was exactly as it had been before walking out the laundry room and locking the door behind him. Walking nonchalantly down the path, he decided his visit wasn't in vain.

He was thoroughly convinced that while Montgomery's horrible death was seemingly due to her runaway tongue, she'd died for another reason entirely. And she would have died anyway had she never uttered a single slanderous word.

That tiny piece of cardboard clutched in her hand told the true story.

#

Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, Lisbon was glad the design of her champagne colored chiffon gown hid a multitude of sins head on. It was the Empire waist with elegantly ruched, flowing lines combined with the scant fifteen pounds she'd managed to hold onto allowing for that. From the front, she was deceptively slender and deliciously curvy. From the side, she was undeniably pregnant if one looked hard enough.

For the briefest moment, the vain part of her was glad she didn't weigh the good ten pounds more she should at this point in her pregnancy. The maternal part wished things were different. As it was, there wasn't anything she could do to hide the slight rounding curve of her belly. She was pregnant by anyone's standards with not one but two Baby Janes. And she was rapidly approaching the more waddling than walking stage of her existence if her doctor was to be believed though she wasn't there yet. Oh, the joys of impending motherhood….

As quirky as it seemed, Jane felt differently than she did.

He didn't seem to mind the changes at all. In fact, he was taking all of the indignities and unpleasantness of pregnancy in stride willing to share as much of every revolting experience as she was willing to let him. Burying her nose in her fragrant bouquet of varicolored burgundy and pink Austin roses and jewel toned calla lilies, Lisbon admitted that was more than she'd ever expected of any father much less him. She wouldn't have made it through the months of hugging the toilet and kissing the tiles if Jane hadn't been there to lift her up when she felt like going down and she loved him dearly for it. Fortunately, that was finally getting some better and, hopefully, she'd be packing on the pounds as she should. She'd worry about all of that later. For now, she only hoped Jane liked the gown Van Pelt had urged her to buy.

What was there not to like?

The more strapless than halter neckline was adorned with just the right amount of beading conveniently emphasizing her noticeably more generous cleavage thanks to the ruched bustline of her gown…Jane was nothing if not giddily appreciative of her expanding curves. Lisbon rolled her eyes at the thought was he ever. The man couldn't keep his hands, or other movable parts, to himself. Not that she seriously wanted him to. He was quite the multi-talented energizer bunny…The more "halter" aspect of her gown came in with the thin rhinestone strap curving from one shoulder to the other around the back of her neck that was more for looks than anything else.

Staring at her reflection, Lisbon decided she loved the gown all over again from the simple Grecian lines to the short Court Train trailing behind her every step.

She liked the rest of her look, too. From the fuller, more bouffant, flowy hairstyle highlighted by the simple one row rhinestone tiara to her soft, yet brightly hued, make-up. She'd completed her more retro look with her mother's quaint sapphire and diamond studs feeling nothing else was required jewelry wise. Their ceremony was laid back. Just the loving couple with their priest in their living room in front of her family and a few of their closest friends with no attendants, very little formality, and Minelli giving her away as they'd planned.

What would later pass for their reception would scatter from their kitchen to their patio to their backyard if necessary. Thankfully it was a comfortably warm evening so no one would have to stay inside unless they wanted. Not even the caterers.

Lisbon smirked thinking the three ringed circus would come later with the Renewal Ceremony Jane had promised their _other_ family when they finally got to town. Lisbon wasn't even _contemplating_ that one before she had to. It would no doubt take place on the fairgrounds with plenty of carney pomp and circumstance and a much fancier dress as Pete and the boys would expect the renewal to be their _real_ wedding.

Not some understated bunch of words repeated in front of a bunch of marks. She could hear their yapping in her head. There was no way that farce was anything but getting the requisite piece of paper buying their legitimacy in the eyes of the rest of the marks they worked with. Yep, her boys had definite opinions and they weren't shy about sharing them.

Everyone who counted knew the two had become one a long time ago in a trailer parked smack in the middle of carney land. That was the joining that really counted. Oh, and maybe the one making the Baby Janes a few weeks later. It didn't take a theology degree to know those two were meant for each other and it would take far more than a crazy serial killer to tear them apart.

Oh, yeah, that wedding was going to be _so_ much fun.

She'd probably end up riding Daisy in her fancy wedding gown…The one Smokey Joe and Stinky would demand she buy...She'd probably have to model it for them long before the blessed day arrived….

Turning her thoughts back to the wedding at hand, Lisbon felt Minelli's fingers curve gently through her arm as he prepared to escort her to her waiting groom. The groom she considered herself lucky to have. She was still mildly shocked that Jane was willing to stand by her side and allow her priest to marry them. She was even more shocked they'd been able to get a Dispensation from the Bishop as fast as they had. Father O'Hanlan had called in a lot of favors for that one. Or perhaps he'd merely explained all of the extenuating circumstances. All that really mattered in the end was they'd gotten the permission they needed in time.

"You sure you want to do this, Teresa?" Virgil crooked his eyebrow at her not entirely teasing.

"It's a little late to have second thoughts don't you think?" Lisbon subtly rubbed her belly.

"Not necessarily. You have plenty of family to help you with those two." Minelli said with all seriousness reminding Lisbon of exactly how many people loved her.

It went without saying every one of them would support her if she decided to bolt and run. Taking on Jane for the rest of her life was a lot to ask of any woman, even his highly competent handler.

"Yeah, I do; but, I think I'd rather have their Dad. Jane's really cute talking to them through my belly button." Lisbon smiled fondly at the memory.

"So's a bear cub before he bites your hand off." Minelli mumbled.

"Jane's not a bear cub." Lisbon reminded him.

"No, he's worse." Minelli patted her hand.

"Yeah, I guess, he is; but, I love him. And I love you." Lisbon turned slightly to kiss his cheek.

"Love you, too, Teresa. Now, if you're sure you want to do this thing…." Minelli patted her hand again.

"I'm sure." Lisbon reassured him.

"Then let's get to it." Their cue was now playing on the Baby Grand Jane had insisted on buying.

Who knew the man was a musician as well? Considering Angela and his daughter had both been pianist, she shouldn't be surprised. But, she was and she couldn't play a lick so her other half made up for both of them.

Taking that first wobbly step into the point of no return, Lisbon allowed herself to gaze on Jane's face for the first time in several hours. She had to admit he looked every bit as gorgeous as she hoped he thought she did. She hadn't expected him to be wearing a tuxedo…just the all too familiar suit. But, he wasn't. He looked very nice in his monkey suit with his hair just so. Not that she really cared one way or the other. She'd accepted a long time ago that Jane was, well, Jane, and that was okay with her. It truly was.

Looking up at the notes signaling Lisbon's slow meander down their makeshift aisle, Jane couldn't believe his eyes. He'd not thought it possible for the woman to be any more beautiful than he found her already. But she was and her wedding dress made her look incredible. He could almost believe she wasn't with child. Not that he cared; but, he knew a part of her wished they had gotten married before the blessed event and not after. Truthfully, he felt the same. He was an old-fashioned man and that meant there was a certain natural order to things. An order they'd not followed this time around; but, that didn't mean he loved her any less.

Gazing at Lisbon, Jane decided she could put her mind at ease. Their offspring would have to look long and hard to note she was a smidge broader through the middle than she should have been given the slenderness of her limbs. As long as they kept those delightfully curvy side view photos hidden in a private photo album everything would be fine. But, that was something neither of them would do as they weren't into lies and subterfuge when it came to their personal lives. If Aislinn and Patrick figured out the truth, or were told by some harpy, they'd surely make them understand before any damage was done.

Work, however, was a different matter. When it came to a case, Jane's motto was clearly "bring it on." He was willing to do whatever it took to catch the bad guys and Lisbon knew it. He'd lie and cheat unrepentantly with the best of them.

Catching his lover's eyes, he noted the slight discomfit in their smoky depths. She was still mildly unsure about this whole public spectacle having much preferred the idea of slipping off to City Hall for a quiet ceremony. He'd been willing to have none of that as he firmly believed they should get married surrounded by the people they loved. It was exactly as he'd done the first time around and he saw no reason to have anything less the second. Besides, Lisbon would regret the moment if they didn't and Jane wasn't having any regrets about their wedding day. He most certainly wasn't. Even if that meant overcoming every well-meant protest she tossed his way.

Eyes sweeping appreciatively over Lisbon from the top of her upswept, elegantly cascading hair to the tips of her fabric clad toes, Jane sent his bride-to-be a look conveying exactly how lovely she was and how much he appreciated every perfect curve peeping from beneath that dress. He liked the dress as well. It suited her. Not too flashy; but, just flashy enough to be a throwback to her Amber days. And those Amber days had been something he'd never forget. Noting his ravenous gaze, Lisbon looked away knowing a becoming blush stained her cheeks. It was too much to expect Jane to behave on their wedding day and everyone knew it. He was already stripping her bare with his eyes.

From the amusement on Cho's face evidenced by the faintest hint of smile, he'd caught that look and known exactly what it meant. Katrinka, his date, had too. Her Korean Agent had also caught her response and found it entertaining though he also seemed to share Jane's opinion. Who'd have thought her Number One thought pregnant women were hot…And his Boss in particular…He obviously did since Jane had called him on it a few days back and Cho had admitted she wore it well…That was before this latest "blossoming" had taken place and her "innie" had become a noticeable "outie" not to mention what was happening with her breasts. She so wasn't going there thank you very much although, again, Jane seemed to have no complaints.

Casting Minelli an affectionate glance as he led her down the aisle formed between the rows of elegantly decorated folding chairs, Lisbon smiled softly at the knowledge Jane didn't seem to have any reservations with her or their difficult pregnancy. He was as enamored of every disgusting stretch mark as he was her plumply swollen breasts. And her tiny belly was driving him to distraction. He couldn't stop touching her and tummy stroking seemed to be the latest in a long line of trends with him. The man was driving her m-a-d.

If he plopped down on the floor beside her while she was eating her slice of wedding cake and started talking to their Baby Janes through the belly button express, he might suddenly find himself wearing that delicious hazelnut raspberry creation complete with the white chocolate butter cream icing on his head…There wasn't any "might" about it. It was more of a promise….

Enough was enough with the crazy stuff.

Feeling Virgil pat her arm before disappearing, Lisbon finally tuned in to what her priest was saying. He was already at the Statement of Intent. She couldn't help thinking it was a little late to be saying whether they were willing to accept children or not as they were already on the way. Maybe it would have been better leaving that whole line of questioning out; but, they hadn't. The good Father had thought it necessary to get Jane to admit before God and man he was willing to have their offspring brought up in the Church. Fortunately, they'd already discussed such matters and her husband-to-be wanted their children to have more to cling to than he'd ever had so he was fine with the declaration. Q and A out of the way, Lisbon smiled softly as Jane took her hand in response to Father O'Hanlan's command.

Lightly squeezing Jane's hands as he repeated his vows, the rest of their audience ceased to exist for Lisbon as she gazed into his eyes knowing, as not one else did, that he was reliving his past even as he joined their futures. He couldn't help but remember another day, and another woman, as he pledged the same words he'd once said to Angela to her. As he vowed to be by _her _side from this day forward through better and worse, richer, poorer, in sickness and health as he'd already proven time and again.

Lisbon wanted to be jealous she was being forced to share her moment; but, she wasn't. She couldn't be. Angela was exactly where she should be: a welcome part of their lives and she wouldn't begrudge the long gone shade the remembrance of the love they'd once shared. The love Lisbon knew was now hers. She was losing nothing in allowing Jane his memories as they were making new ones of their own at the very same time. As for that whole death doing part line, let him try. Neither of them was going anywhere anytime soon.

Seeing Father O'Hanlan staring at her and Jane smirking that she'd lost her place, Lisbon resisted the urge to discretely kick him in the shin as she repeated the same vows he'd just said to her without the reflective shadow in her eyes. Hearing Father O'Hanlan declaring what God had joined let no man divide or whatever the actual words were, she steeled herself against the onslaught of emotion she knew would accompany the slipping of that ring on her finger…The pivotal moment when everything would suddenly feel real…When she'd know beyond that shadow of a doubt she was Mrs. Patrick Jane.

Hearing the Father droning the Blessing, Lisbon was only aware of Jane taking her hand and smoothly saying the words she was waiting to hear. The words pledging his love and fidelity in a way only Jane could do. Words he would never break as he wasn't that kind of man. If his devotion to his before family hadn't proven that, his devotion to _her_ had.

Feeling the wide gold band slide easily on her finger followed by her engagement ring, Lisbon gazed at their joined hands before opening her mouth to pledge her own love and fidelity. Sliding the matching band on his finger, Lisbon remembered the day that other band had come off. That Jane had been willing to do such a thing had literally brought her to her emotional knees. She'd fallen in love with him all over again as she'd done a thousand times since.

Jane might be a cad of the first water in some respects; but, he was her prince in so many others and she wouldn't change a thing.

He wouldn't be _her_ Jane is she did.

Hearing Father O'Hanlan give them permission to kiss, Lisbon smirked knowing Jane was going to play that one for all it was worth and she wasn't disappointed a few minutes later when she was finally released blushing and thoroughly ravished in a way that had her refusing to meet her priest's eyes and knowing her team was thoroughly amused. If she didn't miss her guess, Bertram had taped the whole thing. She fully expected to see a clip somewhere on the evening news heralded as the kiss to end all kisses. Unfortunately, Bertram was keeping the public of Sacramento frequently updated on the Lisbon-Jane Romance, and indirectly, Red John as well though Lisbon refused to consider that on her wedding day.

Hearing herself proclaimed "Mrs. Patrick Jane," she didn't fight the urge to brand her husband. Turning around in his arms, Lisbon gave him a kiss to rival the one that had embarrassed her so. It was Jane's turn to blush at having his desires so blatantly exposed to everyone present. Not that he really minded. Cho would give him hell; but, that was something he could levy right back.

He wasn't the one with a thing for his very hot, very pregnant lady boss.

Then again, maybe he was.

But, unlike Cho, he was now _married_ to the very hot, very pregnant lady boss and he'd had a big hand in making her both hot _and_ pregnant.

Shaking his head at his wayward thoughts, Jane ambled across the room to join his bride who was already talking animatedly to Rigsby and Van Pelt with Minelli hovering nearby. It was already apparent, with the exception of cutting that humongous cake, he wasn't likely to get that intimately close to Lisbon for the rest of the night. They had food to serve and guests to entertain. A garter to throw that Rigsby would catch. Or Jane hoped he did. He wouldn't be nearly as happy with Cho. And Lisbon had a bouquet to toss. His money was on Grace; but, he wouldn't put it past that little barracuda Cho was dating to out maneuver her. Jane was already embracing the joys of the coming evening…and wishing the darned thing was already over including the upcoming conversations with the Brothers Lisbon.

They still weren't overly happy about their bad assed sister coming back from goodness only knew where impregnated by her psycho Mentalist. That it had taken him several months to set things right hadn't endeared him to most of the Clan no matter what they'd said over the telephone. But, Tommy had assured him, all of that would change once they saw how happy their sister was. Looking at James, Jane wasn't so sure about that. Peter was less of an enigma. He seemed okay. But the biggest brother still looked like he might like to sock him in the nose.

Jane could only hope not. Lisbon's punch had hurt like hell. He couldn't imagine what that one would feel like and he didn't want to know.

#

Closing the door having watched the last of the caterers safely depart to their vans, Jane stepped inside and armed the security system for the night. As much as Minelli had wanted to put a guard detail on them for the night, they'd refused not knowing who they could trust at the CBI beyond their team and Virgil himself. As much as he hoped otherwise, Jane had a feeling their guys would be lurking out there most of the night while he and Lisbon were doing a little lurking of their own inside. He couldn't stop them if that was what they wanted to do.

Speaking of Lisbon, since she wasn't downstairs waiting on him, she must still be up in their room getting changed. Checking the French Doors to make sure they were locked, Jane walked through the bottom floor doing a thorough perusal of every room reassuring himself everything was as it seemed. No one was hiding in the guest bathroom or in the library. That was a good thing. He and Lisbon had issued a major challenge to the monster in the shadows by getting married today. Though they'd been very low key about the ceremony, their actions wouldn't go ignored forever he was sure. The form the retaliation would take was something he didn't want to consider. But, retaliate he certainly would.

Deciding everything was as it should be, Jane walked slowly up the stairs giving Lisbon the private time she needed after all of the enforced togetherness. Shrugging out of his tuxedo jacket and hanging it in the closet, he thought over an earlier conversation they'd had a few days ago.

He'd been lying in their bed propped against the headboard waiting for Lisbon to do exactly what she'd done: plop down between his legs like she belonged there. Who was he kidding? She did. The woman fit perfectly against him like she'd been made for him and he wouldn't have it any other way. She always had. It was one of the first things he'd noted about her when he'd gotten the chance. Kissing her forehead, he'd shown her the handful of brochures he'd picked up from the travel agency down the street.

Closing his eyes, he recalled the whole ridiculous scene right down to Lisbon's silly embossed yellow tank and matching frog covered shorts so clearly he could hear their voices in his head:

"Tahiti, Jane? You've got to be kidding me." Lisbon had snorted like a randy goat as she set the brochure aside. "I'm hardly in bikini shape."

Again, he'd known exactly what she was thinking. It wasn't that she wouldn't like to go to Tahiti. She would. But now so wasn't the time for a place like that. Between morning sickness and the probability of suddenly blowing up like a bowling ball, what was he thinking? She'd not said the words out loud; but, she'd certainly thought them.

"What about any of the rest?" Canada or Hawaii would be nice and they weren't that far away.

"Be real, Jane. We just got back a few weeks ago after a seven month absence. We can't suddenly ask for more time off." Lisbon had reminded him.

"You have a point there I suppose. How about after the Renewal Ceremony? We can start planning now. I'm sure Virgil and Mae will keep the scamps for a few days." He'd suggested.

"Right, you keep telling yourself that." They both had a feeling their bundles of joy were going to be more of a handful than anyone thought and she refused to take anything for granted.

"Lisbon, you deserve the honeymoon you never got." He'd pointed out.

That was the point where Lisbon had quietly reminded him he was as full of crap as a Christmas turkey for even entertaining such a thought. She'd then quietly reminded him as well that they'd had a very long honeymoon in carney land and they had the babies to prove it. If he didn't believe her, here, all he needed to do was this and she'd rubbed his palms over the small bump of her tummy underscoring the truth of her words.

Besides, it didn't get more exotic than having pygmy goats and an elephant for a pet and a real live fortune telling Gypsy for a next door neighbor. If that wasn't enough, she'd toss Smokey Joe in there for Exhibit 4. Enough said. Jane tended to agree with her. It was hard to top the uniqueness of life on the carney circuit no matter where they went.

Jane hung his vest in the closet along with his shirt and pants. The other accouterments like cummerbunds and the like soon followed on the top shelf. Slipping into his pajama top and bottoms, he briefly wondered if he was going to have to fetch his bride from her hiding place in their palatial bathroom. She seemed to be enjoying her alone time a little too much considering they hadn't had thirty minutes together all day.

No doubt she was taking in the subtle ripening having taken place in her body over the course of the night. A ripening he'd noted this morning he was sure she'd not as she'd been far too busy preparing to become a bride. That being said, he'd give her the time she needed. What were a few more minutes after the day they'd had?

Watching Lisbon finally exit the bathroom with her hair flowing around her shoulders, Jane admitted she looked different. It was more than her awe at her ever blossoming body. Unlike most women, Lisbon was very accepting of the changes of her quickening form. It was more than the pretty silk and lace ecru gown she was wearing instead of the usual nightshirt or pants and tee she favored revealing more of her bountiful breasts than it concealed. It was more than the shimmering touch of makeup still adorning her glowing face.

It was that silly piece of paper making all the difference for both of them.

Jane could see it in her countenance and knew she could see it in his. He liked being married. He always had. And he'd wanted to marry Lisbon for much too long. Now that he finally had, he couldn't help his self-satisfied demeanor. He'd never been a "the grass is always greener" kind of man. He never would be. When he finally decided on a woman he decided. That was the end of that and he'd decided on Lisbon.

His wife was a different story. Jane marveled at how easily he'd gotten used to that word when applied to the woman walking towards him. As for his _wife_, she'd never believed she'd get married in the first place and she'd certainly never expected one child, much less two of them. That didn't mean she hadn't subconsciously wanted either or both of those things deep down inside.

He'd seen the wistfulness in her eyes after that unexpected encounter with her ex-fiance. She'd wondered briefly what it would be like to have become Mrs. Greg Tayback as she'd almost been. To have never become the lady cop she'd become. To have become a wife, partner, and mother instead. In the end, she'd realized she'd made a lucky escape. Such a life wasn't for her. Something better had been waiting in the wings. Or he hoped it was.

But, that didn't mean the case hadn't reawakened longings she'd long ago laid to rest. He'd known then he'd have to act at some point soon or risk totally losing her. That was something he'd not been willing to do. All things considered, that might have been the turning point in their relationship. It was certainly the moment when he seriously considered just how far he was willing to go to keep the woman he was sure he _loved_ in his life though he'd made light of that realization in his usual manner. He'd not meant that to happen and he'd certainly never expected it to. But it had.

Somehow, over the years when he'd not been looking, he'd fallen head over ass for a saucy, sassy, irreverent _cop_ of all things…every cons sworn enemy. Who'd have thunk it?

Jane laughed out loud ignoring Lisbon's questioning look clearly asking if he'd lost his mind.

"Nothing you need to know about." Jane smiled at her bemusement.

"You sure about that?" Lisbon asked really wanting to know.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Jane repeated.

"Why don't you let me decide?" There was something a little off about that laugh.

"It's nothing, Teresa." Jane tried again realizing he was done. "Fine. It suddenly hit me I'm a con and my wife's a cop. We're natural enemies in the real world and we don't often mix unless the cop's dirty. And you're far from dirty in any way. We certainly never marry the squeaky clean ones." While that didn't mean it had never happened, he'd never heard of a single case.

"You're not a con anymore, Jane; you're one of the good guys." Lisbon defended him.

"Keep telling yourself that and you might believe it one day." Jane said as he dropped a kiss on her nose.

"Fine. You only con the bad guys and that's okay with me." Lisbon reminded him.

Anyone coudl say what they wanted, the man solved cases.

"As long as you know what you've got, I'm okay with it." Jane dropped a kiss on her lips.

"I've got a good man who loves me and loves our babies. That's all I care about." Pressing into him, Lisbon wrapped her arms around his neck and forced him to look at her. "I've always known all bets were off when it came to cases; but, when it comes to us, like this, it's different. You know it and I know it so cut the crap and any self-doubts you're still entertaining you aren't good enough. It doesn't really matter whether you are or you aren't, there isn't anyone else and there never will be. Not for me. Got it?" Lisbon set the record straight for the last time.

"And there's no one else for me." Jane said as he caressed her arms with smooth, comforting strokes.

"I know." Lisbon snuggled a little closer knowing he couldn't make that any clearer than he already had. "You know, they can't say anything now."

"Sure they can, My Dear, but do we really care if they do?" Jane denied her supposition. "The worse the gossipmongers can squeak to anyone foolish enough to listen is we got married for the babies and they'd be telling the truth. We did. But, more importantly, we got married because we love each other. As that's all that truly matters, I suggest we ignore the nastiness. None of their mumbling can hurt us unless we let it." Jane said as he dropped a kiss on her lips. "You smell good and you look even better."

"Shush, Jane, you're just trying to get in my panties." Lisbon rolled her eyes at him teasingly.

"Since I'm always trying to get in your panties, do you think anything's changed now that I have a ring on your finger?" Jane asked.

"I hope not." Lisbon said honestly.

"I didn't think so." Jane agreed "If I didn't tell you earlier, you took my breath away. You still do."

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon felt her cheeks heat exactly as he expected.

"There's something about this gown I really like." Jane plucked at the silky lace. "It's a shame it has to come off."

"I'm not so sure I feel the same." Lisbon purred in his ears. "I think that's why I put it on. So you could take it off."

"Are you saying I have one last wedding present to wrap?" Jane liked the way her mind worked as his worked the same.

"Maybe." Lisbon said as she reached for the top button of his pajama top.

"Maybe?" Jane arched brow questioningly.

"Yeah, maybe, if I get to do the same." Lisbon said as she unbuttoned the second button.

"I'm certainly not stopping you." Jane said as he drew her in for a welcoming kiss.

"I didn't think you were." Lisbon said as she dragged his shirt off and tossed it across the room. "And I'm not stopping you."

"No, you aren't." Jane agreed reaching for the hem of her gown and deciding he liked the changes Lisbon had been hiding all day.

"You are such a perv." Lisbon rolled her eyes at the appreciative twinkle in his eyes upon realizing _everything_ had gotten a little bigger over night.

She was lucky her dress still fit. But Anna Maria had wisely left the alterations in a state where a judiciously placed pin or two hidden away could bring in certain areas if anticipated changes hadn't taken place. Fortunately they had and her gown fit as close to perfect as possible under the circumstances.

"Hardly a perv; but, very much an "I did this" kind of man." Jane agreed as he ran his hands over her enjoying the feel of lush curves and smooth skin beneath his palms.

"While that might be true, I think you had a little help with all of this." Lisbon said kissing Jane lightly against the lips enjoying the familiar easiness between them. "And I think you should lose the pants."

"What about these." Jane fingered the ecru lace string bikinis matching the gown he'd tossed across the room still adorning her hips.

"Do I need to count to three?" Lisbon smirked as she reached down to remove the offending garment fully expecting Jane to do the same only to see him hesitate. "Get naked, Jane."

"I will; but, at the moment I'm trying to decide which Lisbon I like better." Jane said quietly knowing it was true. "You're beautiful either way."

"Why don't I believe that?" Lisbon asked knowing she was attractive woman but hardly beautiful when compared to Van Pelt.

"Because you're being foolish as women are wont to be." Jane said as he dropped a kiss on her head smirking at the way her hands were pushing against his pajama bottoms. If he wasn't willing to do it, Lisbon would do it for him. "You have lovely, expressive eyes and a top lip that curls out in a manner made for kissing. You're slender and shapely, smart and feisty, compassionate and tough…What's not beautiful about that?" Jane asked forcing her to look at him. "At the moment you're also exquisitely curvy and ripe in that way women with child get."

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon said as she tossed his pajama bottoms across the room to land on her discarded gown.

It didn't matter that both of them were more interested in talking than getting physical at the moment, she was enjoying the feel of naked skin against skin as she was sure Jane was. They'd get around to making love eventually. They always did.

"Regardless of the difficult time you've had, pregnancy suits you. The crush he'd have had on you years ago if you weren't his boss aside, Cho wouldn't find you so fascinating if it didn't." Jane continued.

"Shush, Jane. Cho doesn't have a crush on me." Lisbon's eyes darted away refusing to consider such a thing.

"No, he doesn't; but, he would have had you been just another agent and he finds pregnant Lisbon very appealing. Most men do. There's a certain attractive vulnerability you've always had that your condition enhances. I'd say you're very tempting for a lot of us." Jane told her honestly enjoying the way she was cuddling into him in her embarrassment.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon said from against his chest.

"There's no reason I should shush when I'm only speaking the truth." Jane defended himself.

"Fine." Lisbon said as she suddenly straddled his lap. "If I can't shut you up one way, I guess I'll have to do it another."

"And what way might that be?" Jane asked irreverently fully aware of what Lisbon was capable of when challenged.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe we'll start with this." Lisbon leaned in to run her tongue lightly over his lips.

"I don't think that's enough to stop me from talking." Jane teased.

"Then maybe I'll do this." Lisbon leaned in to press her lips more firmly against his.

"That's on the right track." Jane whispered against her lips.

"You think?" Lisbon asked as she moved in for the kill fully expecting Jane to flip her on her back and deepen their kiss exactly as he did.

Wrapping her legs loosely around his waist, Lisbon broke their kiss laughing at the predictability suddenly striking her as much too funny. Far from being upset with his bride for interrupting his fun, Jane reached down to rub her belly and tickle her sides adding to the laughter filling the room. It wouldn't be long before they would have to get far more creative in their coming together. At the moment, they were fine to continue as they'd always been…enjoying a very vanilla position that was anything but vanilla between them.

That being said, he was going to try that whole kissing his wife again.

If he was lucky, one thing would lead to another as it always did and he'd end up a very happy man.

And if he was very lucky, which he always was, his Lisbon would feel the same.


	22. Chapter 20B

**I forgot to post this prior to Chapter 21 as it should have been. This is NOT a new chapter. Just a note for someone I think highly of.**

A/N: I didn't want to tack this long note on the beginning of the next chapter so here it is. There's nothing really important here but some heartfelt "thank you's" and an explanation where those baby names came from for anyone who's curious.

**Guests**, thank you for enjoying this story. It means a lot. I'm always going to acknowledge you because you don't have to take the time to write!

**Nat**, you're right. It's time to cut the fluff with some serious stuff!

**Tina**, thank you so much for the review. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.:)

But, I did want to address the names issue as you've been a good friend to me during the writing of what is a surprisingly difficult story to write and your support has been wonderful! I think you deserve that much as a loyal reader! And, believe it or not, I appreciate that someone else feels about those names as I did initially.

I'm still not nuts about my choices though they have grown on me. The Patrick is fine and expected. It's the rest that I agree with you on. I also _totally_ agree with you that the simple, old fashioned route for baby names is more IC and normally the way I go.

However, I usually have some off the wall reasons for doing the seemingly random things I do so here they are:

The conversation naming Baby One "Patrick James" advances the story in ways not apparent until the end giving me a believable way to slip some information about Jane's father into the story that will be important down the road. There's also something about Lisbon's father that touches me and makes me want to see some kind of reconciliation between the man he was and the man he became after his wife's death. I don't think Lisbon has ever managed to quite do that for herself and I think Jane sees this. So, that played into their son's name as well.

As for their daughter's name, Aislinn (Aisling) is a very real name. It's pronounced "ASH-ling" in its most correct Gaelic form from what I can gather or "ASH-lin,"/"ASH-leen" more commonly in America. It's Irish Gaelic for "dream" or "vision." I went to Lisbon's predominantly Irish ancestry to choose their daughter's name since she's listed as being of Irish/Portuguese ancestry in several sources.

In choosing the name I went with my "Muse's" dictates instead of my logical preferences as "she" had very strong inclinations about how this chapter would go. I also think the concept, much less the reality, of having another daughter is still very unreal for Jane at this point so the name struck me most out of the names I was considering. I see discovering he's having a daughter as an unfathomable moment made up of nightmares and hope. So, I chose to go with a name reflecting my perception of Jane's current state of mind for his daughter. ~Calla


	23. Chapter 23

Tina and Sylvie, and any other Guest I might miss, thanks for the reviews.

Sylvie: Thanks for reviewing Exiting Lodobar. ATW, EL, BFtS, and Loving Daddy were all written and posted back in 2010 the first time around. I was in a certain "familial" mindset then that I'm not in now.

Christmas Magic, New Year's Resolution, and Revelations aren't babyfic and they're all complete.

After the Lorelei Incident, Passing the Point of No Return, and So Life Goes On aren't babyfic yet and I don't expect them to be. While that might change down the road when I start working on them again – I feel no urge to go in that direction with any of those stories right now. ~Calla

#

Awakening from a few hours sleep to find a very naked Lisbon spooned against him, Jane smirked at the thought they'd made the most of the remaining night and day and most of the early morning. He didn't need to look at the light filtering through the window to know it was still early. Yet fast approaching time to tumble out of bed to prepare for the day. While their marriage had been a wedding to remember, and Sunday had been a wonderfully lazy day, it was Monday morning and the CBI beckoned. He knew Minelli, LaRoche, and Bertram expected them at the office bright eyed and busy tailed just like any other day. He knew as well that their team was waiting.

"Lisbon." Jane whispered in her ear knowing she was awake as he could feel her laughing.

"No Lisbon here." She buried her head under the covers refusing to look at him.

"Mrs. Jane." He tried again.

"Better." Lisbon rolled over on her back knowing darned well she was as much "Lisbon" today both professionally and in Jane's mind as she'd been the entire decade before they got married although her name wasnow _legally _"Jane."

Try surviving at the CBI with everyone calling them "Jane" and "Jane."

That would so not work.

Not in any way.

"While I like the sound of Mrs. Jane, you'll always be _my_ Lisbon." Jane quietly reminded her.

"And I like the sound of that." Lisbon agreed gently cupping his cheek as she gave him her deepest green eyed stare.

"You like the fact Johnson and Capelli won't be able to miss either of these more." Jane wiggled the finger with the wide gold band so different from the one Angela had given him and effectively broke a moment much too intense to start a work day…He'd gladly readdress the emotions swirling through her beautiful emerald gaze later tonight when they had adequate time. But, he wouldn't now, not in a rush of glory.

That didn't mean he wasn't in the market for a close encounter of the pleasurable kind. Just nothing more involved than mindless sex and endorphin dumping. Lisbon would not be happy if they were late for work.

"I'm sorry, Jane, I think I do." Lisbon admitted with a sharky smile. "I wish I was a better woman."

Those two had made her life hell the past few weeks keeping the rumor mill fueled with the most preposterous lies. It had gotten bad enough Minelli had offered to quell the wagging tongues. The more apparent it got she was carrying, the more protective her "Dad" was becoming without realizing it. As whacked as it seemed, LaRoche was going into protect mode, too, and that was seriously creepy. The man had actually teared up at her wedding.

Lisbon had eventually told both of them to suck it up. She and Jane were weathering the gossip just fine on their own.

Besides, she'd much rather gullible fools believe she and her hubby-to-be were sneaking off to the ladies' room for lecherous activities over what was really happening. Minelli had blushed when she'd told him in no uncertain terms all that foolishness wasn't insulting anyone. Reality was far better than the lurid fantasies certain people were concocting in their tiny pea brains. Honestly, they had no imagination. None at all and that was a crying shame….

Minelli had only shaken his head before giving her a look screaming "TMI!" But, he wasn't complaining. Not as long as Lisbon was happy as she clearly was.

Jane was a different matter. When he finally sprung, neither Capellini nor Johnson was going to know what hit them. Lisbon didn't want to be around for the verbal bloodbath. The coppery smell made her nauseous…even figuratively speaking.

"As I like you just the way you are and I don't like them, I don't think there's a problem." Jane dropped a kiss on her lips before rolling out of bed and turning off the alarm clock before it could sound. "I'm going to fix breakfast."

"Can't we just have cake?" Lisbon whined as she pulled the sheets under her chin thinking there were more pleasant things they could do with all that time Jane was about to waste.

"You can certainly have cake." Jane replied thinking of the monster mass of sugary mess they still had in their refrigerator not counting the small square layer in the box in their freezer.

Who in their right mind ever came up the idea of saving the top layer to eat on their First Anniversary? They were going to O.D. on raspberry preserves and white chocolate icing as it was. While it was probably a delightful way to go, all that sugar turned Lisbon into a hyperactive ten year old. Well, maybe slightly older than ten consider the direction all that activity was likely to go…but definitely hyper none the less.

"After you have something good for you." Jane said. "We can't have you sinking into a sugar coma."

"You sound like my mother." Lisbon pouted.

"I'm the husband. You're the mommy-to-be. That's why we're having something sensible as well." Jane said as he donned his pajamas.

"Can we have cinnamon bagels with peanut butter and Orange Marmalade?" Lisbon asked hopefully.

"Yes, we can have cinnamon bagels with peanut butter and Orange Marmalade." Jane dropped another kiss on her lips deciding he'd add a side of scrambled eggs and cheese to his. A side large enough Lisbon could scarf her usual sneaky bites. "Give me fifteen and I'll be right back."

"I can do that." Lisbon watched him exit the bedroom and decided there was no point in lounging about so she might as well start getting ready.

Climbing out of bed, she walked over to the closet to grab one of Jane's clean shirts before meandering into the bathroom to brush her teeth and start the shower. Stepping under the spray, she reached for Jane's body wash and squirted some onto her puff. There was no reason she couldn't smell like citrus and freshly cut grass for a change. Everyone at the CBI knew they were married now. If they didn't, they'd figure it out fast once they caught a gander of those wide gold bands.

Rubbing the puff over her skin, Lisbon contemplated her first day back at work as Mrs. Patrick Jane. Cappelli and Johnson were going to shoot her dirty looks for most of the day; but, who really cared. It was her Jane was going home with at the end of the day so they could get over it. Minelli was going to smirk at her every chance he got and LaRoche would no doubt pay her a visit before the day was over as would most of the other agents in the building.

They'd have to see if anything was different now that she'd made it real. It was as though months and months of morning sickness and two babies in her belly weren't real enough. Lisbon snorted at the stupidity of it all. She hadn't suddenly grown two bright blue horns in her forehead the moment she'd been declared Mrs. Patrick Jane. But, she might as well have. No one had ever believed this day would happen. Not even when she'd started flaunting her engagement ring. Putting a ring on her finger was one thing. Signing on the dotted line was another.

Turning off the water, Lisbon reached for the enveloping bath sheet and stepped from the shower. Quickly drying off, she slipped in to Jane's shirt and fastened a single button. She wanted to be decent, but not necessarily _that_ decent. It wouldn't hurt her feelings at all if Jane got those kinds of ideas. They still had plenty of time to play around and they were still technically on their honeymoon if they'd decided to take one. No one expected them to be early and it really wouldn't be the end of the world if they were a few minutes late.

Walking back into their bedroom, she climbed back in bed and settled comfortably in her stack of pillows. Glancing at the clock she realized Jane had been gone about twenty minutes. Plenty of time to do what needed to be done so he should be appearing right about now if he didn't miss his cue.

Striding into the bedroom with a laden tray in his hands, Jane was disappointed to find Lisbon cleaned up and clothed in one of his clean shirts sitting in the middle of the bed. He'd hoped to return to find her still mostly naked with her hair everywhere. There was something deliciously sexy about disheveled Lisbon…though freshly scrubbed in his barely buttoned button down was pretty darn hot as well. Setting the tray in the center of the bed, Jane sat on his side of the mattress and waited for his wife to make the first move.

"Extra peanut butter?" Lisbon's brow rose questioningly staring at her over laden bagel.

She was justifiably curious exactly what kind of whack-a-doodle thoughts had led to this double the nutty pleasure going on.

"I just thought you'd like it." Jane said innocently.

"Right. I'm not gaining that last fifteen or twenty pounds on peanut butter, Jane, so don't even go there." Yeah, she liked peanut butter and she always had; but, this was ridiculous. "Not that I don't appreciate the effort, but make it normal next time. You got it."

Ignoring his rolled eyes, Lisbon reached over to snag a healthy spoonful of cheesy scrambled eggs instead rolling her own eyes at Jane's answering smirk. He'd known she was going for the fluffy goodness instead hence the double pile of scrambled eggs on his plate. The man really knew her much too well. He truly did. Well enough to include that tiny sliver of wedding cake on the pretty little plate in the corner of the tray.

Taking a few bites of egg and a couple of bites of bagel, Lisbon scarfed the three bites of cake savoring every second of the complex icing melting on her tongue. Finishing her cup of coffee, she watched Jane eating his breakfast at a much slower pace. He'd finish his eggs and her bagel as he always did ignoring her longing glances. While better than it had been, her morning sickness was far from over. She wasn't about to push it as much as she wished she could. Jane would bring her a muffin snack in a couple of hours and they'd see how it went. Some days were good, others not so great. Setting the empty tray on the floor, Jane tucked his legs under and turned back to Lisbon. They still had a while before they had to get ready. He'd set their clock an hour early for just that reason.

"You aren't gaining that last fifteen or twenty pounds at all the way you're going." Jane said what they were both thinking. She was still having enough difficulties the weight was creeping on a few ounces at a time and not a few pounds as everyone would prefer.

"Probably not; but, I'll do the best I can. All that really matters is we're doing okay and we are. " Lisbon reminded him.

"I guess you are." Jane agreed.

"I know we are." Lisbon corrected him crawling across the bed. "All of our reports say we are."

"Then who am I to question Dr. Emily Youst?" Jane smiled slightly as he watched Lisbon crawl across the bed with intent. "You smell like me."

"Got a problem with it?" Lisbon asked already knowing the answer.

Smiling his response, Jane seriously doubted he was getting his shower any time soon and, if he was lucky, he wouldn't be taking it alone when he did. And, glancing at the clock, maybe he was off on the time a bit. Maybe there _was_ time to chase those questions and doubts from Lisbon's eyes. Hauling his wife gently over to face him, Jane undid the one button holding her shirt in place.

He could certainly try.

#

Maneuvering Lisbon's Mustang into her parking place and turning off the ignition, Jane turned in his seat.

"You okay?"

Lisbon looked particularly soft and pretty in her dark suit and bright raspberry top. Soft, pretty, and thoroughly loved. Capelli and Johnson were going to take one look at her and tongues were going to wag. When that happened, he was discretely putting a stop to it. Enough was enough and it was time for the b.s. to be over. It was one thing when they were only lovers in Lisbon's mind. He had to allow her to handle her problem in her own time and way. Now that they were married, all bets were off.

"Yeah, I'm good." Lisbon said as she watched him walk around the car to open her door.

"You look beautiful." Jane complimented as he took her hand in his.

"You don't look half bad yourself." Marriage suited Jane.

She'd never seen him look quite so at peace in all the years she'd known him. Allowing him to escort her up the walkway and through the door, Lisbon greeted security as she always did. In a matter of minutes, they were in the elevator headed towards their floor. Catching Jane's eye, she wasn't at all surprised when he leaned over to give her a not so chaste kiss already pushing the envelope in typical Jane style.

"Hey, Buster, no monkey business. We've already had this discussion." Lisbon chastised him. "No PDA's at work."

"What about after hours?" Jane asked suggestively.

"Nope." Lisbon affirmed. "And no hanky panky on my couch either."

"Leave it to you to be the spoilsport." Jane quipped as he guided her out of the elevator with a firm arm at her back.

Passing Capelli on the way to Lisbon's office, Jane wasn't surprised to see her gaze lingering on Lisbon's finger. Catching her eye, Jane gave her a look clearly conveying things better left unsaid. From the look on her face, the woman hadn't missed the unconcealed threat.

"Where do you want this?" Jane held up Lisbon's tote as she fired up her computer.

"By my desk chair on the left side." Lisbon responded watching Jane do exactly as he was told.

"I'm going to fix a cup of tea. Do you want anything?" Jane asked from the doorway.

"Nothing right now. I need to go see the guys so I guess I'll meet you back in here in a few." Lisbon looked up from Montgomery's file to catch Jane studying her as though something had changed.

"I'll be here." Jane headed in the direction of the break room while Lisbon headed towards the bullpen.

"Hey, guys, anything new?" Lisbon asked as she stood by Cho's desk.

"Nothing much except one witness came forward to do meet with a sketch artist. She's with him now. She got a good look at Montgomery's boyfriend on several occasions." Cho looked up at his boss.

"She thought there was something off about him so she made it point to notice everything she could. She didn't come in sooner because she was out of town until last night so she wasn't around when we were canvassing the complex." Rigsby added.

"She came in as soon as she heard about what happened. Maybe we'll get lucky when the sketch is done." Van Pelt said as she typed on her keyboard.

"Sounds like we might have a break if we're lucky." Lisbon commented not really expecting anything as this was Red John. "I'll be in my office looking over the file. Let me know when you get something."

"Sure thing, Boss." Cho said watching Lisbon exit towards her office.

Turning to look at his other team mates, Cho knew they were all thinking the same thing. The Boss looked better than she had in a very long time…Since back before the whole Rafferty nightmare. Being married to Jane really suited her.

"Anything new I should know?" Jane asked as he carried his cup into Lisbon's office and sank down on his couch in her office.

"One of the women from Montgomery's complex is with a sketch artist right now. She was out of town until last night and came in as soon as she heard what happened. Maybe we'll get a break when she's done." Lisbon commented as she looked up from the file.

"We'll see. In the meantime, let's go over what we know." Jane said working on how he was going to subtly share the things he'd discovered on his last visit to Montgomery's place without Lisbon figuring he'd been back where he wasn't supposed to go. "I need to walk out to the bullpen to get a file from Cho. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Lisbon watched him go before turning her attention back to the file on her desk. That was so Jane. It would be a good half hour before they got down to business if he followed form and there was nothing she could do about it.

Hearing a throat clear in her doorway a couple minutes later, she looked up clearly expecting to see Jane pulling a fast one on her.

"Boss, you need to see this." Van Pelt hesitated in the door way.

"I'm not going to like it am I?" Lisbon asked as she walked around her desk.

"Jane's going to like it even less." Grace said as she led the way back to the bullpen with Lisbon silently following.

"I suppose he has to know?" Lisbon asked not knowing exactly where Jane was as she so often didn't.

"I'm afraid he already does, My Dear." Jane said as he walked towards his wife and took her by the hand.

He'd caught the sudden tension in Grace's shoulders from out in the hall and meandered over to look at her computer screen when she'd inexplicably high tailed it towards Lisbon's office.

"I should have known. You can't keep your nose out of anything." Lisbon kissed his cheek as he turned her in the protective curve of his arms to stare at Van Pelt's computer screen.

"Not going to happen when you're involved." Jane stated what everyone already knew.

"I know. Hell of a wedding present wouldn't you say?" Lisbon quipped as she watched the red smiley face go up in flames.

"Not my favorite." Jane agreed watching the familiar memo appear only to disappear and reappear over and over again.

Red John was proving yet again that he could hack into the CBI computer system at will and none of them liked it. It seemed he'd timed his display with their arrival at the CBI. He had entirely too many ways to get to them when they had no way to get him back.

"I guess we know what he thinks about us getting married." Lisbon leaned back into Jane's chest feeling his hands lightly caressing her arms.

Screw that whole no PDA's at the office rule…She'd been breaking it all morning anyways and she needed his grounding touch. Though Lisbon appeared outwardly in control, her stomach was churning, and her palms were sweaty. She seriously doubted they'd get anything done on Montgomery's case today. Not with this latest turn of events.

"I guess we do." Jane agreed as he shot a look over the top of her head at the newest arrival coming around the corner.

"What's all of this?" Minelli asked returning Jane's look before glancing at the computer screen and turning white as a sheet. Van Pelt must have called him before she'd summond her Boss. "You're done, Lisbon. Go home. Maternity leave starts early."

"I can't do that. I have work to do." Lisbon protested. "Have you forgotten about Montgomery."

"Go home, Lisbon. I mean it. I'm reassigning that case and you've got around the clock protection detail as fast as I can get it arranged." Minelli repeated with a snap in his tone.

"Not going to happen, Virgil." Jane said.

"Have you lost your mind, Jane?" Minelli turned on their consultant. "This is a blatant threat. Lisbon needs to be somewhere safe not out in the open where God only knows who can get to her."

"Have you forgotten Kristina?" Jane quietly reminded him. "She was well protected and he took her right from under us. What's to stop him from doing the same with Lisbon?"

Minelli pondered his words for a few minutes before giving a conceding nod.

"You're saying she's safer here with the rest of us." He observed.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. That doesn't mean I don't want these guys to move in with us for a while." Jane said.

"Sounds like a plan." Minelli agreed while the team looked at each other carefully avoiding looking in their Boss's direction.

"I thought so." Jane said. "We can work out the details later. At the moment I think I'm getting a very distinct 'get in here now' look from my wife."

"And you'd be right." Lisbon said as she turned on her heel and headed for her office.

Jane followed leaving an amused Minelli with the rest of the team. He was reasonably confident they were discussing their potential living arrangements amongst them while he was preparing to have Lisbon chew him a new one. Watching her lock the door, he waited for her to turn on him.

"I'm not going into hiding, Jane. You can get that thought out of your head if it's bouncing around in there." Pacing her office, Lisbon turned to put her foot firmly down. "I've already done that once remember? I ended up bedding down with my consultant and getting a double whammy I never saw coming."

Jane wondered briefly if she was referring to getting pregnant and getting married or just their twins. Somehow he thought it was all of the above. It wasn't that important and he was smart enough not to ask.

"I'm not doing it again, got it?"

Jane wanted to tell her darn Skippy she wasn't; but, resisted that urge as he didn't want the healthy punch in the nose that was brewing. He chose to silently watch her every move instead knowing Lisbon was much too tightly wound at the moment for anything else.

"I don't want to know what would happen a second time around and I'm not giving birth in a travel trailer. Not even for you. Besides, the nursery isn't finished and we can't bring babies back to an unfinished nursery. They wouldn't have anywhere to sleep and they can't sleep in the bed with us…And do you know how hard it is to find a good OB/GYN? One you like who likes you, too? I like Dr. Youst and she likes me so I'll tell you. It's hard enough in general and finding one who's willing to put up with you in particular is a whole lot worse." Lisbon couldn't believe she'd said that. Yet, it was true. "You're Godzilla dressed up in a good looking Daddy suit."

Jane rolled his eyes at the thought the honeymoon was over and they'd only had a day and a half to enjoy it.

"You're saying I'm a Dadzilla? Cheap shot, Lisbon, and you're smart enough to come up with something better than that tiresome cliché." Jane sniped put out that his wife was being quite so obtuse when he was making a very good point in spite of what he'd told Virgil.

The more he thought about it, the more he wasn't sure Lisbon wouldn't be better protected in a safe house somewhere under lock and key.

However, he also had to admit his temperamental bride was making a number of valid points of her own. Fast running out of time, the nursery still _wasn't_ finished and he _was_ unapologetically hard on her doctors. In his defense, he only wanted the best for his wife and Baby Janes. He also expected to know exactly what was going on with none of the detail flubbing so common among busy medical professionals.

Unfortunately, what was particularly bad about him was he knew more than enough about pregnancy to call them on it. That tended to drive most doctors crazy. Fortunately, not the one Lisbon had chosen. Emily Youst was wise enough to shoot straight from the hip from the start and he was wise enough to listen which had made things much easier on his "Teresa" than they would otherwise have been. He _could_ be an overprotective ass when the situation warranted exactly as Lisbon said.

"Yeah, Jane, you are. I hate to see what you're going to be like once these guys are born. You'll probably hover over their cribs twenty four seven and we can forget the six weeks time limit. You won't touch me for six months because you're afraid of hurting me." Lisbon kept on saying things she'd never intended to say.

"I wouldn't go that far, Lisbon. I'm a decent enough guy when it comes to those kinds of things; but, I'm not _that _decent. However, I'd say I can restrain myself until you're sufficiently recovered." Jane quirked a brow at exactly how witchy Lisbon was being and knew she was as bad as she was because she was terrified.

"I'm sorry, Jane. That was a cheap shot." Lisbon walked over to wrap her arms around his neck and bury her face in his chest.

"I've had a kid before, Teresa, so I know what to expect. As much as you don't want to hear it, I don't think I'll be the one who's hovering." Jane gently corrected her.

"You may be right." Lisbon agreed from her snuggle point under his chin.

"I'm sure I am. And when it comes to intimacy, I certainly won't force the issue before you tell me you're ready." Jane rubbed her back gently feeling her relax against him.

"I know you won't. We'll probably both be crazy long before that happens." Lisbon smiled at the thought Pumpkin and her kind had nothing on them. They still had a lot of years to make good on and they were trying to catch up as fast as they could. Add a little pregnancy hormones to their normal, healthy sex drives and they couldn't help themselves.

"Probably." Jane agreed.

"I don't need the team living with us. I'm not in that much danger. Besides, Rigsby has Benjamin and Cho has his new girlfriend. We can't interfere in their lives that much." Lisbon carefully avoided that whole forbidden thing Wayne and Grace had going. If they ended up staying at their place, they so better not christen her guest room or she was going to have something to say about it.

"Trust me, they won't mind." Jane told her what he already knew. "Besides, Sarah's taking Benjamin out of state to visit her parents for a couple of weeks so we're off the hook there."

"That doesn't matter. It's still not right." Lisbon really didn't relish adding that degree of togetherness to their relationship.

As much as she loved her team, enough was enough.

"Teresa, you need to understand something." Not liking the tone of Jane's voice, Lisbon pulled back to look into his eyes.

"What do I need to understand?" She asked.

"It's like this…I lose these I'm devastated." Jane pressed his hands to her belly. "But, I'll survive."

Lisbon sucked in a breath not willing to contemplate such a thing.

"I lose you, I'm done." Jane said with a quiet intensity his gaze never waving. "There's no going back and no going forward. My life is over."

"Shush, Jane, you're not going to lose any of us." Lisbon said the only thing she could in the face of such understated melodrama.

"Done, Lisbon, I will not survive a second time." Jane waved his hand indicating everything from the moment he'd opened that bedroom door so many years ago to events he prayed never happened again. "I don't want to."

"Nothing's going to happen to me or to them." Lisbon rested her hand on her belly.

"No, it's not because you aren't going bad assed cop on me and doing anything stupid. It's that simple. There's no other choice." Jane said with finality.

"I don't suppose there is." Lisbon chose the path of least resistance.

While she would be more careful than usual, she wasn't allowing Jane to secret her away in a protective cocoon. She was going to fight back as she always did. _He_ didn't have a choice even if he thought he did. Placing a kiss on his lips, she leaned into Jane's chest and closed her eyes feeling his arms encircling her protectively. As aggravating as all of this was, Jane was a good man and he loved her. She couldn't expect anything less than this craziness considering his losses and his insistence it wouldn't happen again.

"There isn't." Jane closed his eyes and rested his chin atop her head.

_He_ was out there and he was watching.

And _they_ were watching from in here.

It was all any of them could do at the moment.

Wait, watch, and hope for the best.

"I'll be back in a minute." Lisbon said as she headed out the door leaving Jane watching her retreating back.

Taking a look around the office, Jane followed her knowing exactly where Lisbon was going and exactly what he had yet to do. Catching Van Pelt's eye he motioned in the direction of the break room with his head. By the time he'd gather his wife from the ladies room, Grace would have her tea waiting on her desk leaving him to get Lisbon settled comfortably on her couch.

Once she was down for the count, he was convening a meeting around Cho's desk…The guys were moving in and they all knew it.

He didn't think anyone would mind.

He certainly wouldn't.

The only thing left for anyone to do was figure out exactly how they were going about it and that shouldn't take too long. Once they were done, they could spend the rest of the day working on Montgomery's case before he left early to run by the market to stock up on the supplies necessary to keep a Rigsby fueled and running.

He could handle that.

And the guys could handle getting Lisbon home once they were finished.


	24. Chapter 24

Tina, AlwaysACritic, Sleepytot, MeganP : Thank you for enjoying the story!

If you're wondering why I have them calling each other "Lisbon" and "Jane" instead of "Teresa" and "Patrick" most of the time – it's because I don't believe this couple would suddenly switch to calling each other by their first names because they're intimate. It doesn't feel natural after a decade of calling each other by their last names to suddenly switch to "Teresa" and "Patrick" all the time because they're together romantically and I don't feel it would happen that way. That doesn't mean I'm not wrong. :)

However, Lisbon didn't fall in love with "Patrick" – she fell in love with "Jane." If you think about it, Jane didn't fall in love with "Teresa" either. He loves _his_ Lisbon.

Added to that, Kristina Frye was interested in "Patrick," Erica Flynn played her head games with "Patrick," and Lorelei bedded down with "Patrick" and Lisbon knows all of this. I don't think any of that is enough to stop her from calling him "Patrick"; but, she's never really called him "Patrick" in the first place that many times if at all. ~Calla

#

Escorting Lisbon back into her office, Jane watched her settle comfortably against the corner of her couch before handing her the familiar sassy red cup and saucer suiting her so well.

"Grace made you a cup of tea so drink it up." He encouraged her as he rummaged through the uncharacteristically sloppy pile on her desktop until he found what he was looking for. "This is Montgomery's file. I'll see that you get the sketch when it's done."

Accepting the file and setting it beside her on the couch, Lisbon continued sipping her tea and studying her husband. Jane sat on the edge of her desk waiting for what came next. He was expecting a mini tirade of the kind only she could give and he felt she was justified. It was no secret his very capable wife wasn't happy about having her freedom of choice taken away. It was also no secret she didn't have to cooperate unless she wanted to. Jane was hoping she would so he wouldn't have to force her hand if she didn't. Doing so wouldn't be a good thing.

Both he and Lisbon knew that.

She knew as well, that while still going by "Lisbon" professionally, she was really Mrs. Patrick Jane and certain unspoken assurances came with that title. Keeping her safe was one of them. Even if that meant doing things Jane didn't want to do. Things like forcing her to his will. Using such heavy handed tactics was never wise as she could be quite stubborn when she wanted to be. Like now.

Stubborn and tetchy as well…and Jane could make her testier than anyone else exactly as he was doing now.

Eyeballing her heavy stapler, Lisbon realized it had been quite a while since she'd thrown anything at he consultant-husband. It wasn't that he hadn't deserved it. She just hadn't gone through the motions as doing so required too much effort when she wasn't feeling all that well. But, that didn't mean it couldn't happen again…They both knew it could…And it hurt like hell when one of her missiles made contact as they usually did.

Noting where Lisbon's eyes were resting, Jane reached over her desk to tuck the offending stapler safely away in her top drawer. His misgivings weren't unfounded. Lisbon was fully capable of tossing her stapler at him in frustration and she was clearly considering it. She was that put out with Red John, Minelli, and her team…but, especially with him as she seemed to consider everything that annoyed her to be _his_ fault. That seemed to be the way of it since her pregnancy. It was his sperm that had knocked her up so, by proxy, it was his fault she wasn't happy with whatever it was...Yes, his Lisbon had cleary fully embraced the pregnant woman's unspoken mantra and he wasn't fighting her over it. If she wanted everything to be his fault...then his fault it was.

"You're going out there to finish discussing what we're doing next." Lisbon took a sip of tea and made the expected nasty face.

Her tea always got better by the second or third sip. Or maybe her tongue was just numb by then. She wasn't sure which it was.

"That's the plan." Jane agreed seeing the displeasure reflected on her face.

"I don't like it." Lisbon saw no reason to deny how she was currently feeling.

"I don't like it either; but, it has to be done." Having the team around twenty four seven was going to seriously crimp their intimate life. But, if he could live with it, so could she. "Red John has forced our hand and left us no alternatives other than finding a safe house as Virgil suggested."

"We both know how "safe" that would be." Lisbon set her half empty cup on the edge of her desk.

"Yeah, we do. No safer than our place so we might as well go home as we've planned." Jane took a sip of Lisbon's tea and decided he was glad it was her and not him. There was something singularly revolting in that herbal blend that all the lemongrass in the world wasn't masking. However, given the alternative, Lisbon had acquired a taste for the proprietary blend out of self preservation. A girl could only stand so much hurling before she'd drink anything. "At least you'll be comfortable in a familiar environment and we can get the nursery finished."

"That's a plus I suppose." Lisbon agreed. "But Van Pelt and Rigsby better not christen the guest rooms or they're so dead."

"I'll be sure to let them know." Jane deadpanned as he leaned over to drop a kiss on Lisbon's pouting lips.

"I mean it, Jane. That's our house and any christening going on is ours." Lisbon repeated dangerously having mentally marked each and every one of those future christening spots in her mind.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about there." Jane smirked finding it amusing that of all the things they had to be concerned about his wife was worried Rigsby and Van Pelt would do the horizontal mambo where they shouldn't. "The team will be on duty around the clock. I don't think they'll have many opportunities to sneak off for hot monkey sex."

They better not or he'd personally kick their butts for falling down on the job long before his irate wife ever got to them.

"Yeah, well, I don't know about those two. They're sneaky like that." Lisbon reminded him.

"I guess they are." Jane openly smiled thinking she might have a point as they had been sneaking under the radar for a while now. Not under their radars; but, everyone else's. That had to mean they had gotten better at it didn't it? Then again, it was Wayne and Grace they were talking about. "I have to go now. Cho and the rest are waiting. Why don't you catch a nap and I'll wake you when I'm done?"

Lisbon was having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

"I might do that." Lisbon agreed as she settled back and closed her eyes knowing she'd be far better equipped to concentrate on Montgomery's case when her mind was clear.

Besides there wasn't much she could do until they had that sketch in hand which should happen any time now.

Leaving Lisbon slipping into slumber and waiting for the sketch artist's completed rendition, Jane meandered into the bullpen to settle in a chair by Cho's desk. Minelli was still hanging out exactly as he'd expected waiting to see what happened next. Catching the team's eyes, Jane said what his audience was waiting to hear. The man could be very persuasive under the right circumstances and protecting his Lisbon was definitely that.

"She doesn't like it; but, she'll cooperate." Jane motioned the guys a little closer. "While we could go behind closed doors somewhere alerting everyone we're up to something, I don't see any point. He'll only discover our plans eventually as Lisbon refuses to go to a safe house and I don't think that will do any good. I'm sure it wouldn't take him long to discover the location if we did. Besides, we can discuss the specifics at home later. In the meantime, let's keep it quiet and just get it done."

The team nodded agreeing Red John had discovered Hightower's whereabouts in the end and he'd certainly discovered _them_ on the road a couple of months into their escape. So, there was really nothing left to say. After a few minutes of mindless rambling, the one thing that had been decided was they would reconvene at a certain two storied house by seven. Everyone would have had time to scramble home to gather a few things for their stay and be ready for a nice sit down dinner by then.

Jane made a mental note to call Sydney in the guardhouse to have the team added to the infamous "Safe List" for the foreseeable future. Their diligent sentry had met all the guys the Saturday they'd dropped by to work on the nursery so he could readily identify Rigsby, Cho, and Van Pelt by sight. Looking up from his chair, Jane smiled at Coker as she brought the long awaited rendition into the bullpin and handed it to Minelli.

"Remove the glasses and the do-rag and this guy looks familiar." Minelli said sure he'd seen the guy somewhere before.

"He's an undercover homicide detective with the Sac PD." Cho glanced at Rigsby with an inscrutable look on his face. "We worked a case with him a few weeks before you joined the CBI." The Korean Agent's gaze shifted to Jane.

"What's his name?" Jane asked not liking any of this.

"Gabe Hendershott." Rigsby supplied. "He was before your time, too, Grace."

"Yeah, I figured that." Van Pelt walked over to her computer and tapped on the keyboard before looking at the rest of the team with a frown. "Hendershott's got twenty-two years service with twelve of them as a decorated detective. He's had a number of commendations over the years. Why would he throw all of that away for Red John?"

"For the same reason the rest of his tools sacrifice everything." Jane commented. "There was something badly broken from the start."

"Call the Precinct and go pick him up." Minelli nodded his head at Rigsby and Cho. "Don't let them know you're coming. Just verify his whereabouts." Minelli watched Cho lift the receiver to his ear before turning back to Jane. "I don't see any reason to bother Lisbon before we have him in interrogation."

"That's fine by me, Virgil." Jane agreed. "But, I want my shot at him."

"We'll see." Minelli said evasively. "You're a little close to all of this to go into interrogation."

"That's ridiculous." Jane scoffed. "What do you think will happen? I'm not a violent man."

"No, you aren't, but this is Lisbon we're talking about and you've been known to kill for her." Minelli considered his point made. "Besides, if I let you in there, we both know something hinky might happen."

"Hinky?" Jane asked. "What do you mean by hinky?"

"Just take one or both of the boys with you." Minelli relented deciding Jane might get something out of the detective when nobody else could. "And no hypnotizing got it?"

"Fine, no hypnotizing, and I'll take Cho to see that I behave." Jane agreed. "Oh, and I don't do hinky."

"Right." Minelli stared Jane down reminding him he did "hinky" very well. "I'll see you guys later. I have a meeting with Bertram right about now."

Minelli sounded about as thrilled at that prospect as any of the team would be as he gave them one last warning look not to mess this up and departed the bullpen.

"So, everyone knows how the rest of the day is playing out?" Jane asked knowing they might not see each other again before nightfall.

"Yeah. Rigsby and I are checking out Hendershott." Cho tapped the finished sketch.

He wondered briefly what Red John's fascination with corrupting decorated law enforcement officers was. And what decorated law enforcement officers' fascination was with being corrupted by the serial killer. It didn't make sense. Not to him and it never would. But, Jane clearly understood…Maybe you had to be a little bit nuts to get it as Jane clearly was.

"While we're doing that, Grace is going to hang out with the Boss and you're doing whatever you do when we aren't around." Rigsby said. "We'll meet up at the time we said."

"So you were listening in spite of all those steamy glances you were sending Grace's way." Jane winked in that condescending manner he did so well. "As for what I do when you're not around, well, this time I'm going back into Lisbon's office to go over the Montgomery file and await your update before we spring the truth on the little woman. As much as we'd like to keep it a secret, we can't. We'll have to tell Lisbon the truth before we're done.

However, I would like to be able to tell her we're hauling the traitor in. She'll handle everything better knowing we have Hendershott in custody." Jane turned his attention to Van Pelt. "While we're doing all of that, the lovely Van Pelt here is going to be digging up everything she can on our wayward detective from ex-wives to secret bank accounts. Who knows? Maybe we'll find that elusive connection to Red John and crack the case."

No one really believed that; but, they could certainly try.

"Maybe we will." Rigsby said with more enthusiasm than he felt before departing with Cho.

Watching the two agents head for the elevator and Van Pelt tapping away, Jane headed in the direction of Lisbon's office taking the requisite detour by the break room to freshen his tea. Balancing his cup on its saucer, Jane opened the door without knocking with his usual announcement of, "Lisbon, it's me." so she wouldn't be startled by his rapid entrance.

He was surprised instead to find Lisbon sitting behind her desk talking on the telephone rather than sleepily blinking awake at his words.

"Yeah, Jane just came in." She said. "I'll do that…You do that…Yes, we'll do that…Later."

Hanging up the receiver, Lisbon turned her attention to Jane and the puzzled look on his face.

"Who was that?" Jane asked having walked in on the back side of a conversation he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the front side of.

"You'll never guess." Lisbon answered.

"From the look on your face, I'd say the last person you expected to hear from in a million years so that leaves out your brothers or Anna Beth." Jane sat down on the couch beside her. "If I didn't know better, I'd guess Walter Mashburn. But, he's been in Germany more off than on the last few months working out some kind of complex business deal." Jane knew this as he'd made it his business to know where the man was every chance he'd gotten.

"Not anymore." Lisbon corrected him.

"So it was Mash." Jane said instinctively not liking her old lover being in contact with Lisbon even in the most innocent of capacities.

Not even calling her at work on her direct line in the middle of a work day in front of everyone. And not for the reason one might think. He was hardly threatened by a one night stand this late in the game when all the pieces were stacked in his favor. Only a fool would be and he was far from a fool. No, that wasn't it at all.

It was more like the man was on his infamous suspect list which another matter entirely….

Along with almost every other male he knew except Rigsby and Cho.

"He just got back in town over the weekend and saw the news of the wedding. It seems he's been in Germany the past few months so he's missed out on all the fun. He wanted to call to congratulate us…and to let me know he'd have certainly done everything he could to help me in my hour of need had he been aware I was in trouble. Even from over there." Lisbon rolled her eyes at Jane's disgusted snort.

"That sounds like Walt and I'm sure he would have." Mashburn would have helped her over his dead body though he would have certainly tried.

Jane was sure he could have stopped that with a look.

Lisbon _trusted_ him whether she'd always believed it or not. She didn't trust Mash. If she had, it would have been more than a one night stand to take the edge off and that would have been something he wouldn't have gotten over so easily. It might have been something he couldn't forget. Forgive, yes. Forget, no.

"He might have tried; but, I'm not sure I would have accepted." Lisbon answered honestly. "Rescuing me was your job."

"I'm glad you realized that." Jane agreed.

"I'm not sure I realized it or if you were the only person I truly trusted." Lisbon admitted. "Anyways, Walter wants to drop by sometime to hear the whole story and give us a wedding gift." Lisbon continued. "And baby gifts…Oh, and he said congratulations on getting the girl plus a whole lot more…He sounded a little jealous."

Lisbon giggled at the ridiculous wording and deliberately resisted commenting on the unnecessary leer in Walter's voice.

That would definitely yank Jane's chain and not in a good way. He so didn't need to know about the other man's more risqué remarks alluding to the night they'd shared and his pleasant memories. Far from being insulted, she'd taken his commentary in stride and considered the source. The man was an unrepentant womanizer which was exactly why she'd allowed herself to scratch a long simmering itch and nothing more. She'd truly never looked back and had no regrets about it.

"He wants to indulge his idle curiosity you mean." Jane commented as he sat on the carpet at her feet and slipped her foot from her shoe.

"Well, that too, I'm sure." Lisbon agreed.

"I don't like it, Teresa." Jane saw no harm in admitting his feelings.

"I'm sure it won't be the most comfortable situation, Jane; but that's no reason to be rude. Walt's never done anything to warrant such behavior." Lisbon reminded him knowing his use of her given name betrayed exactly how much the other man's crawling out of the woodwork had unbalanced him.

Jane snorted again.

That depended on which side of the fence you were sitting on.

"Behave." Lisbon chastised him as only she could.

"I guess it's okay; but, I don't have to like it." Jane relented knowing there was no way in hell Walter Mashburn was getting anywhere near Lisbon unsupervised.

Not going to happen.

"You're being silly, you know. It was over before anything started." Lisbon reminded him.

"Again, I don't have to like it." He hadn't liked it then and he didn't now.

"Yeah, well, I don't like Lorelei either; but, there's nothing I can do about it. You slept with the woman and, well, I did what I did so get over it." Lisbon didn't particularly like referring to her indiscretion that had remained an indiscretion much as Jane's had.

She found the whole subject embarrassing to discuss with her now husband who'd only been a friend back then. That wasn't exactly true either. Jane had been more than a friend although neither of them had been ready to acknowledge it. If they had, she'd never have slept with Mashburn. She'd have done her damnedest to lure the real deal between the sheets instead. Or maybe she wouldn't have given the rules and regs against such a thing. However, she had no doubts Jane would have done what she couldn't. The man could be most persuasive when he tried and she was a sucker for persuasive Jane.

Anyways, the important part was she and Walter had certainly not picked back up where they left off when he returned from Europe. And not because, unbeknownst to Jane, he hadn't tried. He certainly had. He'd wisely sent flowers to her home on the weekends amongst other more valuable gifts she'd returned.

He'd wanted to revive their "Dirty Harriet" moment making it more of a conquest and less of a one night stand. She hadn't been interested. Not that she hadn't enjoyed herself, she had. She'd just not wanted to complicate her life any more than it already was. She'd had her hands more than full of Jane at the time and that ship had sailed.

"I did that a long time ago, Teresa, and that incident has nothing to do with my feelings." Jane admitted as he continued massaging her ankle and foot. "As you already know, he's on my suspect list."

"Yeah?" Lisbon's tone said it all. "Along with Bertram, Minelli, and about any other male you know except maybe Rigsby and Cho."

"I don't want you seeing him alone." Jane said quietly.

"I won't." Lisbon promised. "I told him he could come here to the CBI. Just let me know when he was coming so I could arrange for him to get past security."

"I think I can deal with that." Jane agreed.

"I'm sure you can." Lisbon hoped he could as she really wasn't in the mood for that kind of scene. "I'll let you know when he's coming. I know you want to be there. And, whether you believe it or not, I want you there. I have nothing to hide."

"I believe you." Jane rubbed his thumb over a tender spot on the bottom of her foot. "So what did you tell him?"

"Tell him about what?" Lisbon bit back a yelp as Jane hit a particularly sore spot.

"Who was the better lover." Jane expertly addressed the troublesome pressure point.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lisbon hated the betraying blush staining her cheeks.

"Sure you do. Walt spent a good part of your earlier conversation trying to lure you into comparing notes and revealing which of us was the better lover."

"How did you know about that?" Lisbon asked not bothering to pretend that part of their conversation had never taken place.

"I know Walter Mashburn." Or he hoped he did. "So who won?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Lisbon resisted the urge to moan as he massaged away her aches and pains.

"What do you think?" Jane quirked a brow at her switching his ministrations to the other foot. "We had a decade of foreplay."

"You're much too sure of yourself under the circumstances." Lisbon smirked back at him.

"I think not." Jane corrected her. "I have something going for me that Walter never did."

"What's that?" Lisbon tentatively asked not completely sure what he was going to say.

"I've been a little bit in love with you for a very long time." Jane quietly admitted repeating Lorelei's words back at her. "And that, My Dear, goes a long way between the sheets."

"I think it does." Lisbon agreed watching Jane set her foot aside before leaning up to give her a gentle kiss.

"I should hope you more than think it does." He said against her lips.

"I know it does." Lisbon agreed.

"That's better and I'm more than a little bit in love with you." Jane said as he settled back and lifted her foot again. "I hope you made that abundantly clear."

'What do you think? I'm not discussing our sex life with anyone but you least of all him. I think this says everything without me having to say a word." Lisbon glanced at her belly.

"I think it does." Jane agreed. "It certainly says we're happy and we're moving on with our lives in spite of everything."

None of this was how he'd meant their moving on to happen when he'd swept Lisbon away. At the time his greatest misgiving, after exactly how he was going to get her there in the first place, was how his still predominantly straight laced boss would fit into the carney world. And how his carnies would deal with having a cop in their midst in return. They weren't accepting of outsiders and particularly not of law enforcement officers. Though he'd had their grudging acceptance they'd tolerate her presence for as long as necessary, Jane hadn't expected the whole bloody camp to fall in love with Lisbon nor for her to fall in love with them.

With hindsight, that shouldn't have been all that unexpected. Teresa Lisbon was a no-nonsense, dependable woman with a maternal instinct a mile wide and a giving heart. She was 'good people' as Pete would say and as he'd said himself on numerous occasions in the past. She was also feisty enough to be interesting and nice looking to boot. Yes, perhaps he should have expected exactly what happened to happen.

What he could never expect was what came later. He'd not expected that ring to come off his finger and stay off permanently. While he'd been willing to do what he had to do to save Lisbon as he owed her that much, he'd never contemplated any of the rest. Well, maybe he'd had a fantasy or two on that sick little loop in head...Fantasies in which she'd figured prominently for a number of years...But, he'd never expected to act on them…Never expected to take Lisbon to bed in the real world or to let her take him…Never expected to fall deeply, undeniably head over ass in love with her…Never expected to create life within her or replace that thin gold band with a much wider one…But, thank that God she believed in that he had.

It was the second best move he'd made in his life.

After marrying Angela and having Charlotte Anne.

"Earth to Jane…What's going through your head?" Lisbon watched the glazed look in his eyes recede as he turned to face her.

"That I'm a lucky bastard." Jane answered honestly. "Far luckier than I ought to be."

"You aren't a bastard." Lisbon said.

"I most certainly am and we both know it." Jane smiled gently at her rebuke. "Don't try to fool yourself into believing I'm anything different. It gets the job done."

"You aren't a bastard to me." Lisbon said.

"Not very often and I hate it when I am." Jane agreed. "I'll try to do better."

"You do just fine as it is. Now enough with the stupid conversations…What did you and the guys decide? How are we doing the sleepover?" Lisbon asked.

"How we planned from the start with you riding home with the guys and me stopping by the market." Jane said watching Lisbon reach for her vibrating phone.

"Hold that thought." Lisbon placed the phone to her ear. "Shoot, Cho."

Watching her shove her bare feet in her shoes, Jane obeyed the finger she placed to her lips and waited for her to tell him what was going on.

"No, I'm not upset…I understand…Yeah, everything's okay…We'll be there in a few." Lisbon placed her phone back in the holder and turned towards her companion.

"Hendershott's dead exactly as I suspected when he wasn't at the Precinct." Jane told Lisbon what she'd been about to say. "Red John doesn't leave loose ends and the detective was a very big loose end."

"We've got to go, Jane." Lisbon stood up and reached behind her to slip into her arms into her jacket. "Cho's waiting on us."

"I suppose you're right." Jane adjusted her jacket and straightened her shirt. "Though we both know exactly what we'll find…Red John offed the guy and that's as far as it goes."

"Maybe we'll get lucky." Lisbon responded automatically as she led the way out of her office and towards the elevator.

"You know I was going to tell you about Hendershott eventually?" Jane said as the elevator doors closed.

"Cho told me you were waiting until they brought him in." Lisbon stared at the ceiling. "While that's commendable, and I appreciate you trying to ease the blow, don't wait to give me pertinent information on an active case next time. In here, I'm still the TL and you're my consultant. You're not my husband trying to keep me from harm. There's no room for personal at work, got it?" Lisbon said more sharply than she meant.

"Got it. But, I can hold you when you're ill, tuck you in on your couch, and rub your aching feet when you're ready to scream?" Jane's tone said how ridiculous he found this whole conversation.

"I know the lines can't help but get blurred; but, we've got to try to keep it as professional as possible when it comes to cases in spite of our personal feelings." Lisbon watched the doors slide open.

"You're right; but, I'm not apologizing for anything I've done." Jane said stubbornly.

"I don't expect you to and I'm grateful for everything. I just want you to do as I've asked in the future. If you'll do that, it'll make it easier for me to do the same." Lisbon pulled her keys from her pocket. "And I want you to drive. I wrote the address down."

"I think I can do all of the above." Jane said as he opened the passenger side door to the SUV and help Lisbon climb onto the seat before fastening her seatbelt.

"I can't ask for anything more and I suppose I have to wear this?" Lisbon pulled the constricting seatbelt away from her chest.

"What do you think?" Jane asked as he reached over to adjust the offending band. "Better?"

"Better." Lisbon agreed as she watched Jane turn the key in the ignition and roll out of the CBI parking lot.

"Good." Jane patted her hand before turning his attention back to the road. "We should be there in another twenty minutes or so."

"If traffic remains like this we should be fine." Lisbon agreed settling back into the curve of her seat.

"We could always stop by the Farmer's Market and get you some of those apples you like." And the fresh vegetables he wanted for tonight.

"We can on the way back if you'd like." Lisbon agreed. "There won't be any reason to rush. It's not like we'll solve the case tonight."

"No, we won't; but, we can have a nice meal with the team. Tomorrow is soon enough to get to work on all of this." Jane hit his turn signal and switched lanes.

"Why do you think he did it?" Lisbon suddenly asked the question bouncing around in her head.

"Did what? Turn Montgomery over to be killed?" Jane asked. "I should think that is obvious."

"That is. Why did he get involved with Montgomery in the first place? I can't see any reason for her to be a target from the start." It didn't make sense. "Not until she opened her mouth."

"Other than the fact she'd worked on the Red John case there wasn't one." Jane agreed.

"Then why get involved?" Lisbon repeated.

"The same reason O'Laughlin seduced Grace: to get information." Jane glanced at Lisbon's face knowing she didn't like what he was saying. O'Laughlin was still a sore spot with both of them. "It wasn't like the job was hard. Montgomery was a nice looking woman and a lot of fun from what I could see. Pumping her for information would hardly be a distasteful job." Both literally and figuratively speaking in the crassiest of ways.

"I don't suppose it was." It certainly hadn't been for O'Laughlin and she was sure Hendershott was a man of the same ilk…a soulless wonder.

"I don't think killing Montgomery was necessarily Red John's intent from the start. The information she was feeding Hendershott was more important. However, being the opportunist he is, he has tools in place ready to do what needs to be done when the moment arises. When Montgomery opened her mouth, she was done." Jane said quietly.

"I suppose she was." Lisbon agreed. "And she never suspected a thing."

"She certainly never realized what she'd done until it was too late." Jane agreed. "She'd insulted Red John bad enough he was going to do the honors himself and ensure she paid for every word in blood."

"That was a horrible crime scene." Lisbon vividly recalled every drop of spatter in the theater of her mind.

"Yes, it was." Jane reached over to take her hand. "It was a horrible way to die."

"We're here." Lisbon motioned to the yellow brick ranch ignoring his final statement. "Park behind Cho."

"I can do that." Jane easily parallel parked and pulled the key from the ignition. "Ready."

"As I'll ever be." She'd never get used to crime scenes.

She didn't want to as she never wanted to forget the victim was more than just a body.

"Then let's go." Jane watched Lisbon slide from the seat already pulling on her crime scene gloves.

"How did Cho say he died?" He asked.

"How do you think?" Lisbon asked walking by the Sac PD officers littering the place. "Tased, bound, stabbed, and slashed."

"The usual M.O." Jane followed her through the house towards the back bedroom not at all surprised to see the familiar pieces fall into place.

"He had to know what was coming." Lisbon walked over to stand by Cho as she took in their victim and realized with a jolt that they _had_ worked with the guy before.

"Didn't care if he did." Cho observed.

"If he had, he wouldn't have opened the door." Lisbon stared at the red smiley face on the wall. "I'd say classic Red John. What about you, Jane?"

"I'd say so." Jane agreed watching Lisbon poke at the body seemingly unaffected by all the blood for once. "Cho, my man, what do you have for us?"

"What do you think?" Cho asked quietly.

"Give it to us outside." None of them wanted the nasty little note to fall into the wrong hands. "Well, I'd say there's nothing much to see here." Jane commented in typical Jane fashion after looking around. "Just a little tidying of loose ends as we expected."

"Cho, you and Rigsby wrap it up here and let me know if anything changes." Lisbon motioned to the crime scene with her head. "I think we're going to head back to the office."

"Actually, we're going to swing by the office and head out." Jane corrected her. "We'll reconvene in a couple of hours."

"Boss?" Cho looked to Lisbon for confirmation of what Jane was saying.

"What he says." Lisbon agreed knowing Cho would get the code speak.

They would meet back at their house about five instead of seven to compare notes. Minelli wouldn't mind where they worked as long as they worked the case.

"I'll let Van Pelt know." Cho nodded his head.

"You do that." Jane swept Lisbon out of the room with a hand at the small of her back. "Farmer's Market first, CBI second." Jane guided her out to the SUV. "Cho slipped me this when no one was looking." He passed the small, sealed plastic evidence bag to Lisbon.

"Damn it, Jane, Hendershott was killed for this?" To send her a bloody message she didn't even want?

"Hardly, My Dear, he was killed because we figured out _his_ identity and he knew Red John's identity." Jane clicked her seatbelt into place. "It's as simple as that." He closed the door before walking around to the driver's side.

"I suppose it is." Lisbon agreed. "So you're saying Hendershott wouldn't have died if that witness hadn't stepped forward and that sketch had never been drawn?"

"Probably not. Tools are valuable resources, and while they're expendable in Red John's eyes, I'm sure he doesn't appreciate losing them before he's done using what they have to offer. It means he has to recruit a fresh tool and that takes work. Every new recruit he makes is another calculated risk that might blow up in his face if he can't neutralize them in time. It's a good thing he seems to have a never ending supply of informants in high places." Jane glanced in Lisbon's direction noting she was hanging on to his every word.

"Not for us." Lisbon snorted.

"No, not for us." Jane agreed. "Lisbon, there's something you need to understand. I suspect this is the last of this kind of thing we're going to see for a while. Whoever he has still out there isn't anyone we can identify any more than we've been able to for the last ten years so none of them are of any threat to him. Hendershott was the last loose end waiting to be tied up."

"I can accept that." Lisbon said as she twirled the plastic bag between her fingers staring at the bloody smiley face on the sticky note in open disgust.

"What is significant is we've made the game more personal than it's ever been by getting married…even more so than in getting pregnant." Jane snatched the plastic bag from her fingers and laid it on the seat between them. "Anyone can have an "oops" moment and make a baby. We certainly did." They'd made two; but, who was counting? "Deciding to put a ring on each other's finger was a conscious decision to fly in his face that's unforgivable in his eyes."

"Yes, it was." Lisbon agreed. "One we gave a lot of thought before taking the plunge."

"Yes, we did, and I don't regret it." Jane continued. "However, what neither of us can afford to lose sight of is that means he's coming after you now. We've forced his hand as he's shown us by hacking into Van Pelt's computer and sending us that not so cryptic message of pyrotechnic smiley faces."

"We didn't expect any different." Lisbon reminded him.

"No, we didn't." Jane agreed. "But, I don't want you taking any chances. I don't care how well you think you know someone, I don't want you alone with anyone but me or the team."

"What about Minelli?" Lisbon asked knowing Minelli's name was still on the infamous list in spite of his very personal role in their lives.

"I don't think Minelli or Mae are a problem." Jane relented. "I do think he was inadvertently giving information when he didn't realize he was doing it…I don't necessarily think he is now."

"He knows about our plans with the team." Lisbon reminded him.

"Yes, he does; but, no more than Red John could find out on his own." Jane said confidently. "Why do you think we'll make our real plans tonight after I sweep the place for bugs?"

"Because you think of everything." Lisbon watched him pull into a parking place at the Farmer's Market.

"I certainly try." Jane took her hand in his. "Promise me you won't go anywhere without one of us? He's out there waiting and watching…looking for the perfect opportunity to strike."

"Stop it." Lisbon resisted the urge to snatch her hand from his. "You're creeping me out."

"You need to be creeped out." Jane said forcefully. "While we might not get any more bodies, this is going to escalate. You're going to find more and more of these lying about." Jane gestured to the smiley face. "He's going to try to scare you witless and make you careless…That's when he's going to strike…When one or the other of us gets careless and presents the perfect opportunity to act."

"Shush, Jane, I'm not going to be careless." Lisbon leaned over to kiss his lips. "No going to the cold case basement alone. I promise. Rigsby can go for me."

"Good." Jane kissed her back. "What do you say to buying some apples and a few other things?"

"Sounds like a plan." Lisbon agreed not letting him see how much his last few sentences had shaken her.

There would be time to worry about what he'd said later when she was alone.


	25. Chapter 25

**Update**: Sorry for the unusually _long_ delay. Unfortunately, real life, meaning major changes in how we do things in my department at work caused my snippy muse to pack her bag and vacate the premises for a couple of weeks. She's been AWOL in the worst possible way. Just hanging out in my head long enough to get things _started_ and bailing before we get anything substantial _done_! The only redemption in this whole thing is the last four chapters of Ouroboros are in various states of completion so the time wasn't totally wasted.

As for Settling the Score, I'm 4000+ words into the second chapter and 2000 words into the final chapter. It's proving a hard piece to write; but, I'll get it done. Chapter Two will be posted in the next two or three days if not before.

Again, thank you Tina and all the rest for the support. It's greatly appreciated. ~Calla

###

"Don't even think it." Jane said from over Lisbon's shoulder as she reached into the trunk to grab one of the heavier grocery bags.

Stepping back, she caught him with a piercing glare and rolled her eyes conveying precisely how she felt without uttering a word. Putting his life at serious risk, Jane leaned over to drop a kiss on Lisbon's forehead before placing one of the smaller white paper bags from the Farmer's Market into her waiting hands.

"You can take this." Jane ignored her snort as he grabbed several of the bags deciding he should be able to get everything inside in two, maybe three, trips at the most.

They'd bought far more than what he'd had on his list vividly reminding him why he didn't take his wife grocery shopping more often. Lisbon was as bad as a two year about adding things to his shopping cart he never intended buying. Things like gooey, chocolate covered marshmallow doughnut cakey things and Almond Butter. Oh, and that monster bag of yogurt covered raisins she wouldn't share with anyone. Honestly, he wasn't sure what else he'd find that she'd managed to slip by him once he got inside and he didn't care. He took her hormone induced peculiarities in stride.

Whatever flipped Lisbon's switch was fine by him as long as she didn't expect him to join her on any whacky culinary adventures. Especially none involving pimento cheese smeared celery sticks with raisins on top. He had to draw the line somewhere and he could easily see that grossly crunchy, sweet, cheesy monstrocity of the palate becoming a reality from the eclectic mix in his bags. Been there, done that, did _not_ want the t-shirt or the accompanying nausea.

Following a certain shapely brunette's cute waddle into their home, Jane made a beeline for the kitchen deciding he'd best warn Rigsby off the Lisbon treats before he made a major misstep. Not the most docile of hausfraus at the best of times, their "Boss" would go ballistic if anyone messed with her secret stash. The one that wasn't really all that "secret" in the first place. That was where both the rub and the danger came in.

Seasoned food hound that he was, Wayne would be in their pantry ripping wrappers before Grace could say "Boo" if he didn't head him off at the pass. The man would die for his transgressions and that would be a terrible shame. Rigsby was enough of a team asset they couldn't afford to lose him. Not over something so trivial. Added to that, as he'd told her before, Lisbon wouldn't like jail. Neither would the Baby Janes. And clean up would be a real you-know-what that Jane seriously doubted Cho would enjoy. Neither would he.

For a man of so few words, that Kimball Cho could whine more than a three year old in a candy store under the right circumstances. He'd heard him more than once over the years.

"Were you this bad the first time around?" Lisbon asked quietly daring to finally ask questions she never had before.

"I think I would have been had there been good reason." Jane set the first round of bags on the counter. "But there wasn't. Angela wasn't a lady cop who'd still tackle suspects if we'd let her and she wasn't carrying two Baby Janes…Only Charlotte Anne." Taking the massive carton of eggs from the bag, Jane stowed them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator as he kept talking. "She also didn't have nearly as difficult a time as you're having. So, to answer your question as honestly as I can, no, I'm sure I wasn't as bad the first time around. Still cautious and attentive; but, never feeling a need to keep my wife under lock and key. Not like I do with you."

Jane answered truthfully knowing he'd never let her out of the house if Lisbon would let him. Fortunately she wouldn't and their lives were the better for it.

"In spite of everything, I'm healthy as a horse." Lisbon reminded him. She might not feel a hundred percent most of the time and she might still puke her guts out more often than not; but, the babies were fine and she was doing better than expected according to Emily Youst. All things considered, that was good enough for her and it should be for her worry wart of a husband.

"And we're going to make sure you stay that way." Jane said as he turned to walk back to the trunk to fetch a second round of bags.

"Jane, mark my words, I won't break and I have things to do. So, while you finish that, I'm making the beds." Lisbon stated forcefully over his yet to be uttered protests. "If you try to stop me, I _will_ shoot you. Got it? I don't expect you to do everything. Once these two are born, it might be a different story."

It probably would be. She'd be overwhelmed from the get go and Jane had done it all before though never with doubles. But, from where she sat, some hands on parenting experience was better than none. She was counting on it.

"Yes, Lisbon, I have it." Jane shook his head as he turned on his heel.

From his wife's tone, she meant every word. She would shoot him. It might just be a flesh wound; but, it would hurt like hell, and everyone knew he didn't like pain. As for the rest of her statement, he fully expected to step in to take over in the early days. Lisbon would hardly be ready to handle twins. As capable as she was, she'd be overwhelmed at the start. That was only natural considering everything she was already going through and everything she would probably go through before they were born.

Watching Jane pull the door closed behind him, Lisbon headed for the linen closet. She had two beds to make up as the pull out mattress in the hide-away sofa already had fresh linens and hadn't been used recently. Well, not since she'd changed the sheets a couple of weeks ago after they'd spent a long weekend enjoying an action flick movie-thon interspersed with a hurl inducing dose of the chick flicks Jane loved tormenting her with.

As against the whole idea as she'd been at the time they'd purchased it, that monster leather sofa was a godsend on the nights she didn't feel like trudging up those stairs. She didn't regret giving up her first choice of the leather sectional one bit. Jane had known best as unwilling as she was to admit it at the time. Or even now for that matter. His head didn't need to swell any more than it already was.

Slowly making the queen sized bed in the first floor suite, she figured Rigsby and Cho could fight out who got the bed and who got the couch. She didn't have to crawl into her guys' heads to know how it would likely play out. Considering himself the more reconnaissance ready of the duo due to his military background, Kimball would insist on staking out the couch. Not willing to admit her Number One was probably right off the bat Rigsby would make the appropriate grumbles finally accepting Cho wasn't changing his mind as the pecking order fell into place. Grace would take the second floor bedroom next to theirs since, as the only other female on the team, she could be with her Boss when her guys couldn't.

Well, Jane could; but, he wasn't a trained field agent.

Comforted by the sound of her husband rattling around in the kitchen, Lisbon headed up the stairs to make that second bed. Stopping by the room across for theirs, she turned on the light to gaze at their shockingly incomplete nursery for this stage of the game. Recent events had curtailed their activities at less than the halfway mark when they should have been done weeks ago. If they didn't getheir butts in gear, they were going to bring their two for one special home with no place to put them.

Fortunately, the hardest part was done: the walls were painted in wide alternating stripes of sunny maize and a lighter avocado green contrasting well with the deeper shades of the baby bedding while the crown molding was already stained the same warm mahogany as the rest of the house. Unfortunately, that was as far as they'd gotten with the décor before the bodies had started piling up wrecking their well thought out plans. Lisbon just shook her head.

The two bronzed iron cribs with scores of tiny rosettes and the four adorable bunny finials were still in their boxes yet to be assembled as was the rest of the furniture. And forget the actual bedding much less the mobiles, light switch plates, figurines, tea set, clock, pictures, stuffed animals and matching lamps. All of that and more were still in their shipping crates stacked in the garage. Maybe an upside to this most recent turn of events would be finally getting the nursery finished.

That would put her mind at ease almost as much as eventually settling on Vintage Beatrix Potter had. The comfortable familiarity of everyone's favorite bunny and meadow creatures beat the heck out of flying monkeys and dancing tangerine dinosaurs.

She'd been shocked when Jane readily agreed to the whole Peter Rabbit-Jemima Puddleduck theme without a whimper even going so far as to reassure her that their color scheme was perfectly unisex. He'd really surprised her with that one. And shocking her even further, he'd gone so far as to spring for the hardcopy of _Beatrix Potter – The Complete Tales _and brought it to her. They'd spent quite a few hours admiring the illustrations and rereading the familiar stories. Who knew Jane had a soft spot for Beatrix Potter and friends?

"The guys are going to help me get the furniture assembled this weekend." A masculine voice spoke softly into her ear. "The whole shebang… cribs, changing tables, chest of drawers with the bunny shaped knobs and that rocking chair you don't know we have."

Jane must have meandered up the stairs once he'd finished putting the groceries away. The man was part cat or she'd have heard him coming, She was sure of it. Fortunately, she'd known he was going to turn up like a bag penny at some point so he hadn't scared the living daylights out of her.

"We have to work this weekend." Lisbon reminded him.

"As we're not on call I'm sure anything we need to do on the Montgomery and Henderschott cases can be done from here." Jane reminded her.

"You're probably right." Unless something changed as it frequently did.

"If I'm not, we'll adjust our plans accordingly." Kissing her cheek, Jane walked into the nursery and surveyed their handiwork. "The guys did a good job painting that weekend and Grace did a good job of leading the pack."

She'd demanded they take particular care in taping the walls and in waiting until the paint was fully dried before moving on to the next step. As a result their paint job looked professionally done which was nothing less than Jane had expected. Unbeknownst to Lisbon as she'd been resting across the hall, her then fiancé had contributed his fair share of brush strokes in spite of winning the bet.

"Yes, they did." Lisbon agreed from where she stood propped against the door frame deciding where she wanted that rocking chair she'd not known she was getting to go.

She'd known she needed one; but, she hadn't taken the time to make up her mind between the three or four that had caught her eye. Truthfully, she hadn't had that much brain power to devote to anything so insignificant lately. Obviously, Jane had felt differently and taken the choice away from her. Far from being as put out as she'd usually be over such a gesture, Lisbon decided whatever he'd selected would be fine. The man had a good eye for interior design. Though she'd helped choose their furnishings, she'd trusted Jane's guidance in picking pieces they'd both liked that would look good together. As much as she hated to admit to discovering yet another thing her husband did well, she had to hand it to him. He'd steered her well.

They'd managed to achieve that fine balance between show piece and comfortable home she'd never have accomplished alone.

"We're in agreement there." Jane pulled her gently away from the door leaving his palm resting against the curve of her belly. "What do you say to getting a move on? I'll help you make that last bed before they get here."

"Sounds like a plan." Lisbon agreed as she flipped the light switch and shut the door. "Did you get everything out of the closet so Grace will have somewhere to hang her things?"

"There wasn't that much in there so I just pushed all of your stuff to the back. She'll have a good three quarters of the closet. That should be plenty of room." Jane turned on the light and unfolded the fitted sheet. "They aren't going to be here that long."

"What makes you say that?" Lisbon's tone was curious as she tucked the corner of the sheet under the mattress.

She'd thought they'd agree the team would stay until Red John was either dead or caught. Whichever came first and however the game finally played out. No matter how long that took. It sounded like her other half felt differently.

"Experience." Jane continued smoothing the sheet hoping Lisbon would let the random comment drop.

"Spill, Jane." Lisbon tossed the top sheet in his direction for Jane to spread as it was easier for him than it was for her. "If there's something I need to know, man up and tell _me_. Not the rest of the team behind my back. I'm a big girl. I can handle it."

"It's nothing that should be hidden as you should already know." Jane said quietly as he gently swatted her hands away to efficiently make up the bed faster than Lisbon could have done on her own. Or he could do with her help considering how easily she kept getting distracted. It didn't matter at all that he was the cause of said distractions. All he cared about was getting the job done.

"Yeah, but what if it is?" Lisbon wrapped her arm around his waist as Jane guided her out of the bedroom flipping the light switch behind them. Between fighting to remain as emotionally detached from their cases as she could and nesting, she'd probably not been devoting nearly as much time to Red John as she should have been. She'd trusted Jane was doing enough of that for both of them.

"Walk with me back downstairs." Jane easily matched his gait to hers as they descended the steps towards the kitchen. "I need to check on the chicken while we continue this discussion."

Pulling out one of their sturdy bar chairs and motioning her towards it, Jane watched Lisbon settle her slight bulk comfortably before walking across the kitchen to peep through the oven door. The Greek chicken was roasting nicely and the potatoes weren't browning too fast so dinner was well in hand. Adding water from the kettle he'd set on a burner before going upstairs earlier, he left his cup steeping before turning to open the refrigerator door. Removing the bottle of grape juice from the shelf, he poured a small glass knowing Lisbon would rather have wine which they both knew she couldn't.

Absently discarding his tea leaves in the trash can under the sink Jane gathered his thoughts as he carried their drinks over to the bar before settling in the chair beside Lisbon.

"My Dear, you're being deliberately obtuse. We've discussed this time again." Jane said as he watched her take a sip of wine colored grape juice.

"Refresh my memory." Lisbon resisted the urge to twirl her glass and sling juice across the counter just to aggravate her husband as much as he was aggravating her at the moment.

Didn't he understand there were some things she didn't want to think about?

"In the first place, we don't have that long before they're born. Less than two months by Emily's estimation if they're early as expected." Jane smirked at his wife's very open passive-aggressive tendencies as she tamped down on her desire to do something evil with that mostly full glass. "In the second, we've pushed all of Red John's buttons. I've been surprised he's let as much pass as he has. There's some new dimension to the game we've yet to figure out or he's simply biding his time which I think is far more likely."

"Meaning what exactly?" Lisbon asked knowing, though they'd had this discussion a hundred times already, Jane was bound to put a new spin on it. He always did.

"That he got what he wanted when we tumbled into bed together." Jane said around a sip of tea.

"Yeah, we've already discussed the whole get us together to rip us apart angle." Lisbon took a sip of Jane's tea and decided she liked the way he made hers better. "That didn't quite work out as he'd planned."

"No, I'd say it didn't." Jane agreed as he stole his cup back placing it neatly on the matching saucer. "Not considering." He motioned to her tummy with a hint of a smile on his face.

"You knocked me up." Lisbon said. "And we both know, after that happened, I wasn't getting rid of you even if I'd wanted to."

"Which you didn't." Jane stole a sip of grape juice deciding he liked his tea better.

"No, I didn't; but, if I had, we both know that wasn't happening." Lisbon persisted. "You weren't letting these two go even when you didn't know there was two."

"I wasn't letting _you_ go, Teresa, get the story straight." Jane corrected her. "They're a nice addition I never expected; but, you're the prize. You always were."

"Shush, Jane." As much as they meant to each other, and as often as they said "I love you," she still wasn't used to hearing Jane talk quite that way. She wasn't sure she wanted to be. The little thrill she felt on the rare occasions he did made it all the more special for both of them.

"I'll never shush telling you how grateful I am to have this second chance." Jane leaned over to kiss her lips dreading the return to the conversation he knew neither of them really wanted to have.

"Shush, Jane, that's what partners are for." Smiling, Lisbon kissed him back. "Making sure you always get those second chances."

They'd shifted into full "partner" mode not that long after surviving the Lorelei storm. They'd even gone so far as to openly call themselves partners which, strangely enough, hadn't shocked her team at all. It had surprised her as neither of them had really taken any overt steps in that direction. Things had simply happened that way with the Rafferty situation sealing the deal in ways they'd not anticipated. They'd drifted into full blown partnership in every facet of their lives. She'd never have thougth it possible. Not with Patrick Jane.

"I suppose you are." Jane agreed breaking away at the sound of the doorbell ringing before rising to his feet. "That'll be the team."

"You think?" Lisbon smirked pulling him in for one last kiss knowing things were going to take a turn for the worse, at least temporarily, once the team was inside so she might as well enjoy one last good smooch while she could.

Jane was going to insist on continuing that conversation they'd already started exactly as he'd intended. Lisbon cursed his persistence.

"Shush, Lisbon, I need to answer the door." Jane kissed her nose as he disentangled himself from her arms falling easily into their more professional mode of speech.

Though Lisbon still called him "Jane" and probably always would, he was more inclined to call her by her given name in private. It came more natural to him as he hadn't spent the better part of his life as a law enforcement officer and it clearly delineated their personal from their professional lives in his mind. For his wife it was different. She was "Lisbon" 24/7 and that mindset came with the territory. His other half was a cop first and a woman second. While he hoped that would mellow with motherhood, he never wanted to lose the complex creature he'd fallen so completely for. If that meant being "Jane" in their most intimate moments for the rest of their lives, he could certainly live with that. More than live with it, actively enjoy it.

"Took you long enough." Cho grumped as he walked through the open door beating a path for the couch before Jane had time to utter a greeting.

"Nice to see you, too, Cho, and Grace, you look as lovely as ever." Jane reached out to take Van Pelt's suitcase as a gentleman should and shot Rigsby a look saying he was a certified idiot for not doing the same for his woman. "I'll take this upstairs for you while you hang out with Lisbon. Cho, you can set up camp in the guest bath off the game room as we both know you're staking out the couch. Rigsby, you know where the downstairs bedroom is so make yourself at home. I'll be back in a few." Jane headed upstairs while Cho moseyed through the game room and Rigsby ambled down the hall.

"Hey, Boss, how you doing?" Van Pelt walked into the kitchen sniffing the whole way. "Something smells good."

"Jane's making Greek chicken and potatoes. It'll be ready soon." Lisbon watched Grace lean over to peep through the oven window. "Why don't you get the beers you guys like from the fridge? If Cho doesn't want one, I'm sure Jane will finish it."

"I can do that." Van Pelt opened the door to remove the three beer bottles knowing Lisbon wished she could join them.

"Why don't you go ahead and get the salad fixings and the dressings out. We can start on dinner while the chicken finishes cooking. That way we can get the unpleasantness out of the way before we get to the main course." Lisbon rose to her feet and waddled into the kitchen daring Van Pelt to smile as her team usually did when they saw her coming.

Though her toddle wasn't pronounced, Lisbon found the change in her movements annoying. That Jane and her team found it cute only perturbed her more. She was a Senior Agent with the CBI. As such, she was _tough_. She wasn't _cute_. And she wasn't supposed to move like_ this_. She was a runner and sure on her feet. Unless Jane and a river were around then all bets were off. Speaking of Jane, he was coming around the corner with her guys at his heels. It was past time to get this show on the road.

"Get your salads and meet me in the dining room so we can get this pow wow over with." Lisbon said as she grabbed two bowls and headed for the rarely used room.

She and Jane usually ate at the kitchen bar or the small table in their breakfast nook .They'd only used their formal dining room a time or two including their wedding. It was much too large for the intimacy they preferred.

"You heard the woman." Jane watched as their guys individualized their salads from the offerings he'd sliced and diced earlier knowing Lisbon had already taken care of his.

Observing the team peripherally as he rummaged through a cabinet, Jane wasn't at all surprised Rigsby liked a little salad with his pepperoni and cheese. That Cho was quite the Kalamata man was as unexpected as Van Pelt loading up on the grapes and mandarin oranges wasn't. Himself, he preferred a bit of everything to keep the mix interesting. Lisbon was a little more selective now than she usually was not having her usual cast iron stomach.

Taking the bread sticks from the oven, Jane dumped them in a basket before following the team's sudden exodus. Setting the basket on the table he took his seat by his wife foregoing his place at the head of the table content to let Cho have it instead. Looking down at his salad, he was pleased to see that Lisbon had gone heavy on the egg and light on the cheese with a couple of his favored pepperoncinis.

"So, anything interesting happen while we were at the grocery store?" Taking a sip of her tepid grape juice, Lisbon got the ball rolling.

"Nope." Cho was ever the conversationalist.

"We left the crime scene, went back to the office for an hour or so to wrap things up, swung by home, and came here." Van Pelt clarified.

"You mean you met up in our drive way at the appointed hour so you could all knock on our door at the same time?" Jane couldn't help laughing out loud at the preposterous picture in his head.

"Something like that." Rigsby crammed a mouthful of pepperoni and cheese in his mouth deciding Jane knew how to make a man salad…light on the rabbit food and heavy on the good stuff.

"That's ridiculous, you do know that?" Jane said looking at the team. "We didn't expect you to arrive at the same time."

"We thought it might be safer that way." Van Pelt said. "Let's opportunity for whatever's out there to get in here."

"I suppose that makes sense in a twisted way." Jane agreed deciding maybe their actions weren't quite as silly as they'd seemed when viewed in that context. "Well, guys, as Grace has opened the door and dinner won't be ready for, oh, another twenty minutes or so, what do you say to getting business out of the way so we can enjoy the rest of our evening. Or enjoy it as much as one can under the circumstance?"

Seeing the complying expressions surrounding him, Jane reached for Lisbon's hand under the table.

"As Lisbon and I were discussing earlier, by the steady escalation of the threats, we're running out of time. It doesn't help our case that she's getting less pocket rocket and more expectant mother with every passing day." Jane's shot his wife a look clearly stating it was time to accept reality.

She slept on that couch as much as she worked and her movements were more turtle than bunny rabbit. Well, that wasn't strictly true, but they were discussing the CBI. Not more intimate habits.

"I'm not helpless." Lisbon snapped.

"No, you aren't, in spite of what I just said. That's why you're still at work instead of here under the tight security Minelli would gladly assign to your case." Jane reminded her. "However, that doesn't mean you aren't in danger and that I'm not counting on these guys to keep a good watch over you no matter how familiar someone seems. Almost everyone we know is a suspect at this point."

Jane's look encompassed all of the team as he ignored Lisbon's silent tantrum.

"Even us?" Grace asked the question they were all wondering.

It wasn't above Jane to figure keeping his "enemies" close was the best way of protecting the Boss and their unborn babies. She had no doubts he'd be watching them watching Lisbon. Regardless of whether he thought one, or all of them, were in cahoots with Red John or not.

"No, Grace, not even you." Maybe a little bit; but, he wasn't admitting that.

Besides, none of them were going to be anywhere near Lisbon without him around anyway so his personal feelings didn't really matter.

"Minelli?" Cho asked as he speared a salty Kalamata.

"He better not." Lisbon shot Jane a dirty look clearly conveying he best not go there. She'd so kick his ass, both cheeks. "No way."

"Not Minelli or Mae either." Jane agreed refusing to allow Lisbon to snatch her hand away. "But, he's someone I know. Maybe someone we all know. Perhaps even someone we know well. That's why it's so important you don't let Lisbon out of your sight."

"You think he's going to walk right up to Lisbon and attack her in broad daylight?" Rigsby said in disbelief.

"No, I don't. But, I do think he could snatch Lisbon in broad daylight and, once he does, we won't get her back." Jane clarified his deepest fear. "Not living, breathing, and awaiting the birth of our son and daughter."

Looking at the faces so clearly startled he'd voice such a thing, Jane pondered his fear. A fear that, in a moment of misplaced trust, Lisbon might allow a familiar face much too close without realizing the danger until it was much too late. Especially within the hallowed halls of the CBI even knowing the havoc Red John had wrought there over the years. As distrustful as she was, Lisbon's cop instincts would want to be accepting of her fellow officers as they all did. They were part of the same storied fraternity relying on each other to stay alive. It was anathema that one, or more, of her fellow agents or co-workers would willingly plot her demise. But, in spite of her natural instincts, that was exactly what might be happening behind the scenes.

"Oh, hell, no." Rigsby said forcefully as the possibility Jane had been vocalizing for weeks finally sank in. "That isn't happening on our watch."

He rose to his feet and carried his empty bowl into the kitchen lost in thought. He'd been pondering Jane's words for weeks discounting most of it as natural over protectiveness. The same emotions he'd be feeling if he'd lost his family as Jane had. Or if Sarah, Benjamin, or Grace were being threatened as Lisbon was. While he didn't doubt Red John was out there waiting to strike, he didn't see boogey men in every shadow. Or he hadn't been. Not until the last couple of weeks. Now, he suspected he, and the rest of team, was finally on the same page with Jane.

The one that said Red John wasn't claiming the Boss no matter what kind of nasty tricks he played.

"No, it isn't." Jane followed Rigsby carrying the rest of the bowls which he quickly placed in the empty dishwasher. "I have every confidence all of you will do your job well and keep Lisbon safe."

"Do you?" Rigsby watched Jane add his bowl to the drawer.

"Yes, Wayne, I do. You're family and family protects family." Jane fixed him with a piercing stare as he opened the oven door to remove the pan of beautifully roasted chicken and potatoes. "Move those trivets a little bit closer together if you don't mind."

Rigsby silently did as he was told and watched Jane settle the heavy pan on the decorative pieces of metal.

"Why don't you take a few minutes to pull it together while we finish our conversation. There isn't anything you really need to hear except to watch for anything or anyone remotely out of the ordinary. I don't care how well you know the perpetrator or how harmless you take them or their actions to be. None of us thought Rebecca was anyone to reckon with. Bosco and his team died because I, all of us I suppose, failed to see the threat walking among us."

Rigsby nodded his head as he watched Jane head for the dining room knowing he was right in suggesting hyper vigilance. Red John wasn't going to slip through the door in the middle of the night to slice, dice, and leave his calling card. That would be much too easy for them to stop. Even if he had slipped by them in the past.

They'd learned a few things since Kristina Frye.

Oh, no, Red John was going to slither right up to Lisbon to steal her away when no one saw him coming.

Or he thought he was.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: My thanks as always to my guest(s) and to Tina for the reviews. They're deeply appreciated.

Sorry for the delay. I've been fighting off a cold for the past week. After work I'm afraid there isn't much of me left over for writing. I'm mostly going to bed. I can say there's three more chapters until we're done all of which are already started.

For any of you reading Settling the Score, I have NOT abandoned that story. I'm working on the research and the last 3-4 chapters of that one as well when I feel up to it. A new chapter will be posted next week probably by Wednesday night. ~Calla

###

Looking around the table, Lisbon shook her head as she took in her team. Every one of them was sitting around her dining table acting like nothing was out of the ordinary. They might as well be at their respective homes eating breakfast and preparing for work except they were at her house instead.

Cho was sipping coffee and reading a book ignoring everyone. Rigsby was stuffing his face with sausage, eggs, and honey slathered toast while holding Van Pelt's hand under the table. Grace was doing her best to pretend no one was noticing the death grip her not-so-secret-lover had on her fingers. And Jane, well Jane was being Jane and doing what Jane did best.

Noticing everything he shouldn't and smirking at the lot of them for daring to hope he wouldn't.

Sending him a dirty look, Lisbon mouthed, "Stop it!" and hoped her guys didn't see her.

Cho obviously did by the look he shot her way asking, "Him again? What else is new?" before turning back to his Classic. Lisbon had to agree with him. Life was chugging along the way it always did in the Jane household. Natural and relaxed with a few tense moments every now and then. There were just a few more players than the norm and that was fine by her. They'd gotten very comfortable with each other over time.

Lisbon was pleased, as well, that everything had fallen fairly easily into place in the nearly three weeks since her guys moved in. And she wasn't all that surprised everything was progressing exactly as Jane said it would from the first night forward. They worked together, ate together, and slept together. Well, not together together as they each had their own rooms; but in the same house. Fortunately, Rigsby and Van Pelt hadn't done anything unseemly where they shouldn't. At least nothing she knew about. They'd keep it that way if they knew what was good for them.

As for sharing the chores, Jane and Grace had fallen into an easy rhythm of rotating breakfast and dinner duty so everyone was well fed. On the days they worked late at the office, they ordered in as they always had. Things were running much smoother than she'd anticipated having so many people underfoot. It was actually kind of fun. Reminiscent of the good old days with her family before everything had suddenly gone so terribly bad. Minus the fights for the bathroom of course…Those hadn't been fun at all.

Lisbon reluctantly admitted she'd never look at her team the same again. Those sharp lines she'd tried to enforce so strictly between professional and personal had blurred in ways she'd never seen coming over the years. Now, they were all but gone. They were family in every way but blood and it showed in so many subtle ways.

Taking a sip of her tea, Lisbon reflected on the only fly in the ointment of her content. No one had died at Red John's hands since Henderschott. At least not in a way they could readily identify as him. Not that she wanted them too. As they'd learned in the past, a lack of activity on the serial killers part wasn't necessarily good. For one thing, they had no idea where Red John was or what he'd been up to over the last few weeks.

She could only assume the obvious: that everything was exactly as Jane had predicted.

Red John had made his point.

Now he was biding his time awaiting the perfect moment to strike.

_That_ was the single thought occupying everyone's mind.

Being the resilient cops that they were she and her team had developed other methods of coping with the stress. From things as inane as shooting pool to putting together baby furniture and situating the nursery. Lisbon could now say their babies' room was done. It hadn't been easy and getting there had come with surprising revelations. Who knew Rigsby was all thumbs and Cho not much better? Van Pelt and Jane had actually put together most of the furniture with her manning the directions. Rigsby and Cho, while competent painters, had not proven quite as good with the screwdriver and hammer as she'd hoped.

Reflecting over that initial scene, Lisbon decided it was a wonder their poor furniture had survived that first hour before she'd pulled the plug and sent her boys off on guard duty to save face. Now, she could proudly say the nursery was filled with two gorgeous cribs with cute bunny finials, one changing table with bunny knobs, two short chest of drawers with the same knobs, and the most comfortable rocking chair she'd ever sat in. The only thing left to do was hang the Beatrix Potter pictures and finish arranging all the decorative bits and pieces. Other than that, their work was done.

Taking a sip of juice while watching her crew finishing their breakfast, Lisbon glanced down at her cell suddenly making suspicious vibrating noises.

"Lisbon." Listening to the voice on the other end, she nodded her head as she scribbled a few notes on the pad Jane slid under her hand with the pen he offered before setting her phone aside. "We caught a case in Hardeeville."

Smirking at the nasty words Cho was muttering under his breath, Lisbon shared his feelings. Hardeeville sucked from their perspective. Of all the places they could catch a case, this wasn't one any of them really wanted to go. They'd handled a case in Hardeeville a few years back with the old Police Chief who wasn't the most progressive thinker. He'd refused to deal with Lisbon dismissing her as the "token boobs" fronting the men who really solved the cases. In the name of getting the case solved, she'd stayed in the background allowing Cho to handle most of the interacting with the good old boys.

Fortunately, that had been pre-Jane within days of assuming her new position with the CBI. She'd tamped down on her natural responses not wanting to threaten her new job by rocking the boat before she'd proven herself. Fortunately, that case had gone a long way in doing just that as it had been _her_ who'd physically brought down their perpetrator and handcuffed the sorry sack of crap who'd murdered a child for seeing too much. So much for the Chief's antiquated, asinine opinions…She hadn't let them stand in her way.

And she wouldn't this time around either as she suspected little had changed in the small, deceptively pretty town so resistant to change.

While she expected similar attitudes with the present Police Chief from what she'd just been told, Lisbon wasn't handling this case the same. She'd spent the past decade proving herself a capable CBI Agent. She headed an outstanding, if unorthodox, team with the highest solve rate in the history of her organization. Female or not, she was doing her job so the men folk could get out of her way.

"Jane, I'm going to say this once. Keep your nose clean. These guys don't like females in law enforcement; but, that's my problem. Not yours. I'm sure that isn't going to help matters; but, their ignorance isn't any reason to embarrass the CBI. Got it?" She barked expecting an affirmative answer.

"Got it." Jane said knowing there wasn't a person sitting around their dining room table who believed he'd accept any insult to Lisbon lying down.

However, out of respect for his wife, he wouldn't be blatant in his response. There were times when stealth was necessary and this was one of hem. Besides, sneaky vengeance was the best kind. Everyone knew that and he excelled at it.

"All you need to know is the victim is 42 year old Selene Dietz. A neighbor found her on her kitchen floor very deliberately shot twice through the heart. When she didn't show up at the Elementary School with her award winning cookies for the bake sale they knew something was wrong and went looking. It seems Selene was the local baking celebrity. She didn't miss a chance to show off her award winning recipes." Lisbon refused to roll her eyes for fear she might one day find herself a cookie baking soccer mom. It wouldn't do to insult her future self as bad as she wanted to. Not that she had anything against soccer moms. She didn't. She'd had the greatest. It just wasn't how she'd ever imagined herself. Now Jane was a different matter. He looked kind of hot in an apron…Shaking herself out of thoughts fast veering in directions better left untraveled, Lisbon turned to her team who still hadn't budged from their places. "Get a move on guys. The sooner we get there the sooner the case is done. Cho, you're coming with me and Jane. You two keep your nose clean and we'll see you there."

Lisbon rose to her feet and headed up the stairs to brush her teeth and grab her jacket knowing her guys were finally doing the same. Rather, they were going to their respective rooms to gather their things so they could hit the road. She'd meant what she said. The sooner they got to Hardeeville, the sooner they'd solve the case and end the unpleasantness she knew was coming.

With any luck it would be another ten years before she had to visit the place again.

###

Sliding from the SUV a half hour later, Lisbon headed in the direction of the tall, lean forty something male obviously in charge of the crime scene. She immediately took offense at the look flickering across his face as he observed her slight waddle and the pronounced curve of her belly. Realizing Chief Hall was one of _those_, she steeled herself for what would probably degenerate into a few moments of unpleasantness. Especially if Jane got involved which she did not want happening.

"You must be Agent Lisbon." Shaking the hand the Police Chief extended, Lisbon hoped her initial impressions were wrong.

Catching the look in his eyes, she didn't think so.

"Chief Hall." Falling into step beside him, Lisbon followed the officer into the impressive home behind her.

While not a mansion, it was the house of someone more on the upper end of the middle class spectrum than the lower. Not dissimilar to her home and in a very similar gated neighborhood, it wasn't the kind of place she could have ever afforded alone. Not that she would ever have wanted it. Tangling with Jane and her babies had changed everything. Glancing around her, Lisbon didn't need to be told their victim was socially prominent in the small town of Hardeeville. Everything she'd seen so far screamed that reality.

Just the kind of case she loved…One that could bite her on the ass and leave permanent scars if mishandled.

"Selene's in there." Chief Hall nodded his head in the direction of the kitchen.

"Mrs. Dietz?" Lisbon asked recalling the few details they'd been given.

"The Mayor's wife." She cursed under her breath hearing her worst nightmare confirmed.

"I see." Lisbon said as she squatted down to survey the body with gloved hands trying to ignore the very private conversation going on in front of her. "Jane, get in here."

She didn't know what he was doing bumbling around in the living room when the body was sprawled across the floor of the kitchen. She didn't have to know. He was probably just being Jane and locating the one improbable piece of evidence that would solve the case. While that was fine and dandy, she honestly didn't care if the case never got solved at the moment.

She needed his calming presence to prevent her from doing something she would really regret. Like telling Chief Idiot and Deputy Numbnuts their sotto voices weren't appreciated considering the insulting things they were saying about her. Ignoring them, she rose to her feet as Jane swept into the room being slightly more attentive than he should be. Mercifully, she didn't mind this time. Jane just being Jane belied the vicious suppositions the other two occupants in the room had been bandying about.

"It looks like she took two bullets to the chest." Lisbon observed. "The second was probably the kill shot."

So much for the two shots to the heart theory as it was clearly wrong.

"I'm sure that's where the killer was aiming. She wasn't quite as good a shot as she thought." Jane said to no one in particular.

"What do you mean?" Lisbon asked already suspecting where this one was heading.

"It's undeniably a crime of passion, Lisbon." Jane continued ignoring the other two occupants in the room. "The killer clearly decided to take out her rival for the good Mayor's affections and she did it quite well considering they were having quite the heated argument at the time."

"You may be right." Lisbon agreed deciding he was probably on to something. "There isn't much else to see here. What do you say we do a little canvassing?"

"Sounds like a plan. Give me a few minutes to look over the crime scene and I'll meet you at the car." Kneeling by the body, Jane ignored Lisbon as she contemplated protesting his high handed manner.

"I'll round up the rest of the guys." Lisbon said before making her good byes to Chief Hall and his Deputy.

Watching Lisbon sweep out of the room, Jane rose to his feet and turned to face the other two occupants of the room with a demeanor wordlessly conveying he meant business and he meant business now.

###

Lisbon stormed into her office and slammed the door daring Jane to follow her. He'd had the audacity to laugh under his breath when the local yokel Police Chief patted her condescendingly on her distended belly. He'd then openly dismissed her as though having a bun in the oven compromised her intellectual ability to do her job. Well, two buns, but who was counting? While she hated Podunk towns, she hated Podunk law enforcement officers with antiquated ideas of a "woman's place" even more.

It hadn't helped that Chief Hall had been bright enough, barely, to notice in passing that she and Jane wore matching wedding bands. From the vaguely disrespectful smirk on his face, the man had put two and two together and gotten fifteen. Married or not, he'd clearly decided that old cliché of an attractive woman and a handsome man working closely together had come into play. At some point they'd not been able to keep their hands off of each other and gotten in trouble for the doing. The only thing he hadn't been able to figure out was if they'd gotten married before or after Jane knocked her up. Given the way Jane periodically checked on her and the aura of "Newlywed" still clinging to them, he was betting after.

She'd overheard him saying as much to his Deputy.

Well, what he'd actually said was he'd bet they'd gotten married because they'd gotten caught. That Jane had an old-fashioned vibe about him that didn't mesh with the modern woman kneeling before them. He honestly couldn't see a man like that with a woman like her for any other reason than doing right by his kid. She was too no nonsense and not girly enough. That being said, she was probably a good lay and there was something to be said for that. It might make doing the honorable thing worth it in the end. The Deputy had snickered nastily at that.

Blanching at the uncalled for words, it had taken all of Lisbon's willpower not to deck the trolls. She'd turned back to the body and done her job instead. Teresa Lisbon was nothing if not a professional. She conveniently forgot those long, pleasurable months with her carneys. She'd not been a cop back then so she'd enjoyed every precious moment of being a woman instead.

Staring out her window, Lisbon decided with a lot of luck and a healthy dose of Jane magic they might figure out who killed Selene Dietz sooner rather than later. Once that happened, Hardeeville would be just another aggravating case to file away in her cabinet and another "Closed" to chalk on the board behind her desk. A girl could hope couldn't she?

Somehow, Lisbon didn't think that was going to be the case this time. There was more to this murder than met the eye. She could feel it in her bones. And there were too many suspects they had to eliminate from the start before they could get down to weeding out the real perpetrator. This one was going to take a while. Whether she liked it or not.

The only upside was nothing about it indicated Red John. In fact, just as Jane had intimated, they hadn't seen hide or hair from their resident serial killer in weeks. Nor had they heard from him. Not since the team had taken up residence in their home.

Well, maybe they had; but, they couldn't be sure.

Cho had heard something in the yard one night and gone to investigate only to decide it must have been a nocturnal animal digging about as he hadn't found anything else. A thorough daytime search of the grounds hadn't yielded anything different. Just some smudged claw prints in the dirt. Their visitor was clearly either an opossum or a raccoon as both were pretty common in the area. As long as it wasn't Red John, Jane didn't really care what kind of critter had gone foraging through his trash.

Speaking of Jane, she hadn't seen him since they'd arrived back at the CBI a while ago. He'd had plenty of time to make and drink the requisite cup of tea. The best she could figure, he was either hanging out in the bullpen or chatting it up with Minelli. He wasn't in here with her. Or he might be in the Break Room going through those take out menus.

If he was smart, that was exactly what he was doing and it better not be any of that healthy crap he was always trying to force down her throat. She wanted a greasy hamburger and fries or something equally bad for her like cheddar stuffed jalapeno poppers. Something Dr. Emily would probably frown at her having. And while she wouldn't mind him surprising her, Jane really might need to run his selections by her. It would save him from having to go out a second time if she found the initial delivery unpalatable. He wasn't about to eat if the pregnant woman wasn't.

Turning at the sound of her office door opening, Lisbon didn't need to ask who it was. Only one person dared to enter her domain without knocking and she was staring at his blonde curly hair.

"Jane, honestly, don't you ever knock?" She groused.

"As I never have, why would I start now?" Jane asked reasonably.

"I guess you wouldn't." Lisbon said as she turned back to watch Sanderson walking across the parking lot.

"Teresa, seriously, you didn't let that offensive, chauvinistic pig get to you did you?" Jane asked as he rubbed her tense shoulders realizing she had and that was the cause for her moodiness. "The man is a buffoon who wouldn't know a bright, beautiful woman if she slapped him on the face which you had a hard time restraining yourself from doing."

"You heard him?" Lisbon leaned into the fingers so expertly massaging her back.

"Every word." Jane informed her. "I might have been in the next room; but, those two fools weren't exactly being discrete and the door was open."

"I'm sorry you had to hear that." Lisbon patted his hand. "One of us hearing was bad enough."

"I suppose it was; but, I would rather it have been me. There was no reason for you to be subjected to the misguided ramblings of a fool." Jane draped an arm around her waist as he brought his lips to her ear. "While he was wrong about everything else, he was right about one thing. You're definitely a good lay, and though I would have put that truth more delicately, it's certainly nothing to get offended about. I can assure you that I have no complaints." Jane kissed her neck risking great personal damage to life and limb. "Well, maybe one."

"Yeah?" Lisbon asked threateningly.

"While these two have made you more insatiable than usual, a man needs his beauty sleep." Jane chuffed against her hair.

"Shush, Jane." Lisbon patted his cheek knowing she really should be tearing him a new one for saying such a thing. "I haven't heard you complaining before now."

"I don't want to shush, My Dear, and I'm not complaining now. Who needs beauty sleep when they have you?" Jane captured the hand resting against his cheek and brought it to rest on her stomach beneath his. "I hope you know by now, that while I would have liked having you to myself for a while longer, these two were made with great passion and I don't regret a thing."

"I know, and I feel the same. I'm sorry I get so aggravated with these idiots. It's hard enough being a female TL without showing up at a crime scene with a pregnant belly leading the way." Her petite size had never helped her credibility with the males on the other side without adding her pregnancy to the mix.

Not if they'd never worked with her before. Fortunately, opinions usually changed before the case was done…except in places like Hardeeville.

"If it makes you feel any better, I had a private talk with Chief Hall before we left. I don't think he'll be treating the next lady cop he comes in contact with quite so disrespectfully. He certainly won't be treating you the same on our next visit." Jane offered.

"What did you do? Threaten him with the dead mouse in his pocket?" Lisbon still rolled her eyes over that one.

She seriously doubted that guy was ever the same after his Jane Encounter; but, he'd brought it on with his arrogance. When Patrick Jane said he didn't like being touched, he meant it. A wise man would have walked away. He wasn't a very wise man.

"Nothing so drastic." Jane corrected her. "I merely informed him my _wife_ is one the finest cops I've ever met and the finest woman I know."

"That isn't all you said." She knew Jane far too well to buy the niceties.

He wasn't nearly so innocuous when his ire was riled, and though he'd hidden it well, he hadn't been happy with her treatment. That slight tick at the corner of his right eye had given him away as it always did.

"Maybe it wasn't; but, I'm not sure I should share the rest." Jane admitted.

"Spill it, Jane. Whatever I'm coming up with in my head has to be worse than anything you said." Or she hoped it was.

With Jane one never knew.

"I might have said something to the effect that while watching you bring down a perp is a sight to behold, you clean up nicely. As for that whole not girly enough thing, you're feminine enough for me. Since that's my ring on your finger, I reminded him that my opinion is the only one that really matters. Oh, and, yes, I confirmed that you are a good lay; but, that isn't why we got married. We happen to love each other and we have for quite a few years." Jane ignored the quirked brow conveying he'd better not have gone in the direction she saw this conversation going. He'd said entirely too much already. "I also confirmed his belief we'd gotten caught though I made it very clear we're more a case of, "When a man and a woman love each other very much…" than an, "Oh, shit! That's a plus sign on the stick." He seemed to take me at my word as did the rest of his deputies." Jane continued nonchalantly as though he'd said nothing out of the ordinary.

"Somehow I think they did." Lisbon knew Jane was fierce when she was threatened.

"Trust me, they did. After that, I think I suggested that neither he nor any of his men speak of you in such a vile manner ever again or I'd punch the lot of them in the nose…I may have also said something about the scent of decomp permeating their uniforms forever if they did." Jane said innocently.

"You didn't?" That sounded more like the Jane she knew.

"I most certainly did. No one is going to talk about my Lisbon like that and get away with. Not even a backwoods Police Chief like Danny Hall." Jane said making sure that Lisbon understood that it was _her_, and not just his _wife_, that he was defending.

"You didn't have to do that." While he didn't, she was glad he had.

"I most certainly did." No one was going to talk about his everything like that and get away with it. "Now, back to the case, I don't think the good Mayor was having an affair. I think his grief is very real and I think he loved his wife as a decent husband should."

"What are you saying?" Lisbon needed him to spell it out for her.

"I think his wife was murdered by a delusional whack job believing she could gain his affections if she got rid of his Suzy homemaker wife. We need to take a look at the women working closely around him like his Mayoral Assistants and his Paralegals. See how many of them own guns and how many frequent the local firing range. If I don't miss my guess, I'd say our perp took up target practice in the past two or three months maybe a little longer."

"Thanks, Jane." Lisbon stood on her toes to lightly kiss his lips.

"I'm always going to protect my woman." Jane kissed her nose at Lisbon's disdainful snort. She could sound like a constipated goat all she wanted; but, his words were true. She was his woman and he would protect her as he always had.

"I meant for the leads." Lisbon said.

"No, you didn't; but, I'll let you pretend you did this time." Jane called her on it.

"You usually do." Lisbon conceded. "I'm going to get Cho and Rigsby checking out the hand gun records and the firing range."

"And I'm going to make a cup of tea." Jane said. "Would you like one?"

"Yeah, I think I would." She wouldn't turn down spending a few more minutes with her husband. "Tea and an order of fish and chips."

"Yeah? I sent Rigsby out to that place around the corner to pick up boxes for all of us about fifteen minutes ago. He should be back by the time the tea is ready." Jane said quietly hearing her soft laugh.

"I'm going to say thanks." Lisbon settled in the chair behind her desk. "What I'm not going to do is ask how you do that."

She didn't want to know.

###

Stopping by the gatehouse to chat a few moments with Rodney en route as she always did, Lisbon wasn't surprised that none of the team had checked in yet. She was probably about fifteen to twenty minutes early for her rendezvous with Van Pelt in spite of leaving the CBI a half hour after she had. Grace was swinging by her place to get a few things she needed on the way over so she wouldn't have to go back out again. That was fine with Lisbon. Clicking the garage door opener, she pulled into her garage and settled back in her seat to wait.

As they'd planned before they even started cohabitating, one of the guys met her in the driveway every day and they walked inside together, pistols drawn. As stupid as that might seem to an outsider, no precaution was too much where Red John was involved. He'd proven that with Kristina Frye. He'd taken her right from beneath their very noses.

And though they'd eventually gotten her back, she hadn't been the same since.

Lisbon shivered at the thought that while the woman was very much alive, she still believed she was a recently departed spirit. Thanks, but no thanks. That whole situation was too skin crawling for words and she had no desire to join her old acquaintance either literally or figuratively speaking.

The guys shouldn't be too far behind them. Jane had left at the same time she had to make a grocery run which shouldn't take too long unless he ran into someone he knew in the produce aisle. If that happened, it would probably be that voracious red head from a couple of streets over. The one who'd rung their doorbell before the paint had even dried on the walls to welcome them to the neighborhood and give Jane the once over. She must have liked what she saw because Jane was forever getting cornered by her in the grocery story. He'd so better not invite her over for steaks if he knew what was good for him.

Not that she thought he would. He wasn't that stupid. While he might not be remotely interested in Irene, the opposite was true for her and the woman far from as harmless as he seemed to think.

As for Rigsby and Cho, they were wrapping up the last of the gun permits and cross referencing them with the records the firing range had emailed over. Or they had been when she left. Glancing at the clock on her dashboard, Lisbon decided they should be on their way right about now as everyone was meeting up at 6:30 to break out the grill on the patio. They had ten minutes to get here. Somewhere along the way she'd lost track of time. One thing Lisbon did know was Grace was running late as she should been here five or ten minutes after her arrival.

That had been twenty-five excruciating minutes ago and she really had to go.

Glancing at the clock, Lisbon decided the guys had to be here in five minutes. Jane should be here even sooner and she expected Van Pelt any time now. She'd checked out the parameter and everything looked fine. There was absolutely nothing suspicious she could see. Nobody was getting through their security system without the code and none of them gave that out. The place was locked up tighter than a prison.

And while what they said about getting between a pregnant woman and her food might be true in a lot of cases, she could personally vouch for not getting between a pregnant woman and her bathroom. She so wasn't embarrassing herself in front of her team. Opening her car door, Lisbon grabbed her hand bag and keys. Jane would kill her for taking chances; but, she couldn't wait any longer.

Unlocking the side door before pulling her gun from its holster, Lisbon did a visual sweep of her kitchen and den before heading down the hall to the guest half bath. If she was quick about her business, she'd be back in her car before Jane even knew she'd broken the cardinal rule of never entering their home alone. Not until Red John was caught. Closing the door behind her, Lisbon prayed she could pull it off. She so didn't want to deal with Jane if he caught her red handed. Flushing the toilet and washing her hands she made her way down the hall towards the side exit gun in hand.

Desperately needing to pee would NOT be a viable excuse in Jane's opinion. He'd rag her for hours pointing out all the things that could potentially go wrong under different circumstances. Not the least of which was she could end up dead…both her and the Baby Janes.

Feeling terribly guilty she glanced one last time in the direction of her kitchen and stopped dead in her tracks.

That huge bouquet of flowers hadn't been on her breakfast bar when she'd walked by. As she hadn't heard the door she'd locked behind her being opened, she knew neither Jane nor any of the guys were here. Feeling the hair stand up on her neck about the time the gun was twisted from her fingers, Lisbon looked up into the face of her assailant uttering the first words popping into her head.

"How did you get in here?"


	27. Chapter 27

Tina and guests, I'm always going to acknowledge your reviews with a heartfelt "Thank You" so consider it done! Thanks, guys!~Calla

###

"How did you get in here?"

Lisbon wanted to head smack herself for saying anything so stupid for any number of reasons. Not the least of which was the fact she was staring at a freaking red smiley face leering at her from that noxious bouquet. While she had initially sensed something off about that damnable arrangement, she hadn't noticed the bloody sticky note until now.

Adding to her unease, she was feeling pretty queasy at the familiarity of her unwanted guest. ...And that he'd been right under their noses for a very long time…And under more than her nose at one time which was where her nausea was coming in.

Jane would be devastated by a whole lot more than her not making it if the situation continued as far South as it seemed to be going.

And she wasn't feeling so great herself at the moment.

Lisbon realized she was downright terrified which wasn't a feeling she'd ever felt before. Not since she'd been a cop. Maybe back in the days after her Mom died when her Dad was drinking real bad…But, she'd been a kid back them…Not a seasoned cop facing a serial killer she had to bring down. A cop who'd just had her Glock twisted from her hand and a heavy duty, wide blade knife shoved against her throat. Any way you cut it, Lisbon winced at the poor word choice, she was coming out on the losing end of this deal.

"The same way you did." He held up a familiar key. "It wasn't that hard to get, Teresa. Do you really believe your husband is the only man who can pick a lock?"

Yeah, well, while that might be true, _he _hadn't done the picking himself. She was darned sure of that. He wouldn't have gotten past Security. Lisbon cringed realizing what that really meant. And what had actually happened. As if her team needed any more proof Red John had infiltrated the CBI years ago…They really, really didn't.

The attack on Bosco and his team combined with Todd Johnson's immolation in a CBI holding cell had pretty much convinced them of that.

Still, it was hard to accept the truth. That someone she worked with day in and day out had broken into her office and confiscated her spare house key. A key well hidden in one of those flat, metallic key holder boxes attached to the bottom of her _locked _middle desk drawer. Even Jane didn't know that key existed or where it was stowed. No one did. She'd made sure of that.

So, that meant her office had been thoroughly tossed since they'd moved into the new house and she hadn't noticed. Probably in the wee hours of the morning when everyone knew the CBI was all but deserted except for a handful of Agents on Call. Still, they'd taken quite the chance. Or maybe they hadn't. All her thief had to do was pick a morning the COA's were on a different floor.

Then again, they might not have gone to that much effort. She was such a workaholic Lisbon wasn't sure anyone would really pay that much attention to a light under her door in passing if her blinds were closed. They'd just figure she was getting a head start on paper work as she'd done so many times before.

As for the code to their alarm system, getting that was probably child's play for a man who'd hacked into the CBI's computer system over and over again.

Worse than all of that was knowing someone in the CBI had to have overheard their plans and relayed tonight would be a perfect time to strike. While he couldn't have known she'd be venturing into her home alone, the odds of getting her were certainly better when it was just her and Van Pelt than when any of the guys were around. Lisbon had every idea he'd have sneaked away the same way he'd entered with none of them realizing he'd ever been there had things not gone to plan. She'd walked right into his trap instead.

"No when you have rats everywhere." Lisbon concurred.

"I believe Jane calls them "tools" and I'd say he's right." There was hint of amusement in his tone. "Very useful tools at that."

"I'd say so." Lisbon agreed as she tried to discreetly move the hand not twisted behind her back. "They've kept you three steps ahead of us for years."

"I suppose they have." He agreed. "It wasn't all that hard to keep my finger on what your team was up to at any given time. With all that paperwork crossing so many desks and all of that interagency cooperation…You get my drift."

"Yeah, I get your drift." Lisbon agreed. "You've had moles in multiple departments in multiple agencies for years."

"Yes, I suppose I have. What's the point of having all the money in the world if you can't do what you want with it including a healthy bribe here and there?" He agreed. "Oh, and it won't do you any good to go for the pistol stuffed in the back of your pants as I have it right here."

Lisbon cussed at the sight of her second gun resting across his palm as she knew he expected her to. Whatever, she'd play the game his way. She hadn't been so lost in their conversation she hadn't felt him pluck her weapon from behind her. She just hadn't really cared if he took it. Seizing her gun hadn't been the goal of her free hand. She'd been more interested in pushing that first button on the cell phone attached to the _front_ of her pants. The one he didn't know she had as she'd dropped her work cell on the kitchen counter clearly in sight the first time she'd passed through.

Nope, the one she was fiddling with was her personal emergency line going from her lips to Jane's ears. They've gotten it a few days ago as an extra precaution. Her pregnancy was rapidly advancing and twins were usually born early. Since she'd been having Braxton-Hicks for a while, it didn't seem out of line to have a system in place to simply cut to the chase. They'd agreed any calls coming from this number weren't to be lovey-dovey silliness, not that they did much of that anyway; but, serious business only. A call from this line meant Lisbon was in some kind of trouble, probably labor related, and she needed him. Hopefully Jane would remember the rest of the terms they'd agreed to. That he would listen first and speak _second_ after he'd ascertained what was going on.

Lisbon had insisted on that as she had all ideas, once she decided her babies were coming, she wasn't going to be all that coherent in the first place.

Satisfied the line was open, Lisbon closed her eyes and breathed deeply trying to center her thoughts as she'd learned in yoga. The one thing she did know was she had to keep her wits about her. She had one shot of making it out of this alive. That was if Jane was already fairly close to home and if he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut until he figured out the score. If he was, he'd realize immediately something was terribly wrong from the sounds emanating across the line. If he wasn't, he'd probably get her killed. Lisbon could only pray he'd act in the proper order of things. She didn't have a whole lot of options except taking this chance.

In fact, the truth was fairly simple: she was dead if she didn't.

Lisbon knew she didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of overpowering the man gripping her arm so tightly behind her back. Nor could she go for the pistol in her ankle holster. Not yet anyway. She'd only get her throat slashed for her trouble. As for the gun at her back, she was under no illusions he hadn't known it was there before he showed it to her. He had to have felt it when he'd restrained her. Her only choice was outsmarting him the only way she could and using the last remaining weapon at her disposal, the trusty cell phone attached to her side, which she'd just done.

As much as she'd railed against wearing maternity tops, and not those belly button showing body hugging tees but honest to goodness loose flowing tops, Lisbon said a silent prayer of thanks she'd finally relented. Jane had bought her a gorgeous paisley print top with an empire waist and peasant neckline in varying shades of purple, green, and gold when she'd had a total meltdown over her innie finally becoming an outie a while back. She wouldn't have been able to pull that trick with her cell if she weren't wearing that particular top. Or if she hadn't removed her jacket and draped it over a bar chair earlier in passing through on her way to the powder room. She'd intended picking up both her cell phone and her jacket on her way back out to her car.

Unfortunately, _Red John_, Lisbon refused to call him by his real name, had had other plans and she'd stepped right into them.

Grateful that she'd accomplished her goal, Lisbon was surprised to hear her captor's next words. The freak was offering her one last final tour of her home…Or, rather, he wanted her to give _him_ one…Lisbon wondered briefly if he'd done the same thing to Jane's first wife…She seriously doubted it…There had been two of them then…He wouldn't have risked Charlotte Anne escaping to bring help as Angela would never have abandoned her child.

But, he was doing it for her. Whether she wanted him to or not since he was bodily all but hauling her up the stairs in spite of her best resistance…And not out of the goodness of his heart…He was toying with her…Prolonging the agony…They both knew as soon as they reached the master suit, the gig was up.

Her blood was going to stain those walls.

Thoroughly pissed with being manhandled and how easily she'd fallen into his trap, Lisbon's mind kicked into high gear. She wasn't going down without a fight. Without making a formidable last stand and spilling some blood of her own.

If a certain dark haired billionaire thought differently, he was in for a rude surprise.

###

Hearing his cell phone ringing, Jane took his eyes briefly off the road and reached into the passenger seat to grab the rectangle somewhat surprised to see Lisbon's personal number lighting the screen. Hitting the appropriate button, Jane's first thought was 'This isn't good.' His second was he really needed to listen whatever his wife had to say. Hearing little more than dead air, he figured Lisbon was gathering her thoughts. If she didn't speak in another few seconds, he would ask her what was going on. In the mean time, he'd do some mental wandering of his own.

He'd gotten trapped by that red head in the produce aisle again. The one he thought was stalking him. Amend that, he was sure she was and he'd had hell to pay in getting away. Not that he really thought the woman was dangerous, just a little overzealous in her pursuit. But, he was quickly deciding he really needed to take his ripely beautiful, hormone laden, angry little princess with him the next time he visited the market. Twirling his wedding band in Rachel's face just wasn't cutting it any more. He was starting to think she really didn't care he was a married man. A "chance" encounter with his very pregnant wife should change her mind.

Opening his mouth to speak as Lisbon still hadn't said a word, Jane hit the accelerator instead. Whatever the hell he was hearing coming across that line wasn't anything he expected to hear. Like a masculine voice that was neither Rigsby nor Cho; but, one that was still much too familiar. Vaguely wondering what she was doing inside their house when she knew better, Jane listened to Lisbon giving a tour of their nursery. Discussing the creation of Peter Rabbit of all things and buying time the only way she could. Oh, and carrying on a disturbingly intimate conversation about the babies in her womb she'd rather not be having with another man and particularly not with an ex-lover.

Punching the hold button, Jane dialed Cho's line and got a bead on where the rest of the team was. They'd been detained by a nasty wreck on the interstate; but, they were almost home. Briefly sketching what he thought was going down and telling them to meet him in the driveway, Jane waved calmly at Roger in the guard house in passing and took Lisbon's line off of hold immediately wishing he hadn't.

What he was hearing now sounded more like a scuffle than anything else with all those guttural curses, screams, grunts, and the sound of flesh slapping wood.

All Jane could do was pray Lisbon had gotten one up on him and made a break for it. She didn't stand a chance in hand to hand against a man his size. But, pregnant or not, the woman could move. Hopefully what he was hearing was Mashburn trying unsuccessfully to break through their bedroom door.

Not Lisbon hitting the wall, the floor, or any other thing in their house.

Pulling his key from the ignition and opening his car door, Jane reached beneath the passenger seat to remove the loaded pistol he'd secreted there soon after their return. The one Lisbon didn't know he had. Just as she didn't know he'd been going to the shooting range on a regular basis for quite a few months. As much as he hated guns, he was surprisingly competent at firing one now and he wouldn't hesitate to use it.

Watching Cho and Rigsby pull up front followed by Van Pelt, Jane couldn't help thinking through the surreal haze that _he_ had to know they were out here…_had_ to know he was going down…had to know that was a gunshot….wait a minute.

Catching Cho's eye at the sound of two more shots, Jane and the team made a beeline for the door under the garage leaving their car doors open.

Following Lisbon's guys towards the stairs, Jane briefly decided he should be at the front of the line, not the rear, as that was _his _wife up there before dismissing the thought. Silently running up the stairs he knew none of this was going to change. In the first place, he wasn't a cop. In the second, everyone knew Lisbon would kick their butts if anything happened to him. The team was already in silent agreement that he could cool his heels until the crime scene was secured and the EMT's got here.

Or the sneaky bastard snuck by them anyway.

"Damn it, Jane." Cho cursed futilely as Jane pushed past the bedroom door not caring what awaited him on the other side. "Rigsby, cuff him while I call this in."

Cho inclined his head in the direction of their perp who wouldn't be putting up much of a fight with two bullets in him. Clearly not shooting to kill, Lisbon had incapacitated him instead with two nasty shots to the chest. Catching Van Pelt's eye, Cho shook his head. Jane could take care of their Boss. He'd let them know what he needed. In the mean time he needed to get a double dose of EMT's on the way and not just the one that he'd called. Oh, and the local PD who should already be enroute.

Watching Jane sidling up to Lisbon out of the corner of his eye, Cho proceeded to take care of business. He hoped Jane handled this right or he was going to draw back a nub. Even wounded, Teresa Lisbon was fully capable of drawing blood as another man had discovered tonight.

"Lisbon?" Jane's voice was shaky as he knelt by her side on the floor suddenly pressing a towel to her bleeding shoulder without warning.

Lisbon winced as she attempted a reassuring smile through her rabid cursing.

"I waited until couldn't wait any longer. Until I was sure you'd be pulling into the drive any minute. I honestly did." Until the last possible second she thought she could slip inside and back out to her car with no one the wiser was more like it. "It doesn't seem to have worked."

"No, it doesn't; but, I'm sure you did." And she'd have probably been right if he hadn't been delayed by the red head at the grocery store and the rest of the team hadn't been delayed by that accident on the freeway.

"It didn't seem like a bad idea at the time." Lisbon continued knowing her husband was far more upset with her than he was showing.

He wasn't tormenting her with that towel as punishment. He was trying to keep her from bleeding out. Not that she was in any danger of doing that; but, still, if it didn't hurt like hell she might be more appreciative of his effort.

"It never does." Jane agreed.

"You were never supposed to know what I'd done…sneaking into the bathroom and back out again." Lisbon looked down at the hand resting on her stomach.

"Yeah, well, it didn't exactly work out that way." Jane glanced at his watch ignoring the hustle and bustle around them.

The EMT's should have been here already as well as the local PD. He knew that call Cho had placed a few minutes ago was the _second_ one he'd placed. Jane knew as well that several of his neighbors had called 911 when those shots rang out. Gun shot ringing out wasn't the kind of thing happening in _this _neighborhood. Not before they'd moved in. Well, that wasn't strictly true. There was the time old man Hanson shot at the possum, and missed, raiding his garbage can and got his .22 confiscated for his trouble. But, that was before their time.

"No, it didn't." Lisbon agreed. "I didn't even notice him until I was leaving. He was waiting to intercept me before I got out the door. I guess he was hiding down the hall earlier."

"I suppose he was." Jane said absently as he looked Lisbon over deciding he didn't like what he was seeing one bit. "We'll figure out how he really got in later. I suspect he came over the wall. There's probably a weakness somewhere in the parameter no one realized was there."

"I'd say so." Lisbon gasped as she shifted slightly seeking a more comfortable position than the one she was in.

"That was a pretty neat trick you employed there." Jane hoped talking would distract Lisbon from her pain.

Leaving her cell phone on speakerphone…Fortunately, he'd had enough sense not to respond to the dead air on the other end when the call came through… After that, the air hadn't remained dead very long…It had quickly filled with a cacophony of sounds he'd never get out of his head.

Most fortunate of all, they'd all been nearly home when his cell phone rang. What were the odds of all three of their cars pulling in the driveway at the same time otherwise? Astronomical he was sure.

None of that mattered.

"I guess it was." Lisbon said as she watched him giving her the once over reading every thought racing through his head.

"Trust me, it was." Jane confirmed. "We wouldn't have gotten here in time otherwise."

"I don't guess you would have." Lisbon didn't want to think about that.

Hoping to hear the wail of sirens heralding the arrival of the EMT's, Jane decided there was far more blood staining her shirt from her defensive wounds than he'd wanted to see. Unsettled, he comforted himself with the thought it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Not if he ignored the blood saturating the towel still pressed forcefully over the bullet wound in her shoulder. The same shoulder O'Laughlin shot…just hopefully in a different spot. He'd worry about that later. Right now, he needed to find out exactly what had happened to her and where she was hurt beyond the obvious.

"The paramedics must have gotten detained by the same accident we did." Jane said hoping Lisbon wouldn't note the growing concern in his eyes.

"It's okay, Jane, other than the hole in the shoulder, I'm going to need a stitch or two here and there." Lisbon glanced into worried eyes as she barely whispered a truth better left unsaid. "It's the other I'm more worried about."

"What other?" Jane knew he didn't want to know.

What he was seeing was bad enough.

"I don't think they're Braxton-Hicks anymore." Lisbon said calmly in a much stronger voice glad to have mastered deep breathing years ago

It was all that was keeping her from falling apart. Not an easy feat considering she was bleeding far too much from that "hole in the shoulder" she'd been so cavalier about. Bad enough she knew her babies were threatened from the shock alone. Forget the sticky crimson rivulets running down her chest. Fighting the pain as best she could, Lisbon only hoped Jane held it together or she was going to totally lose it. Is she did, that would be very bad for everyone involved…particularly the babies in her womb.

"Everything will be all right, Teresa." Jane said calmly reaching out to lay his palm against her belly reassuringly. "However, that does it. We aren't waiting for the EMT's. While Cho called them on the way, that's a bad wreck a few miles back. It's taking too long for them to get here so we're going to take the back way to the Medical Center."

Jane scoped the room seeing everyone wisely going about their business leaving them alone until either he or Lisbon indicated otherwise. Rigsby and Van Pelt seemed to have things under control and Cho was taking a moment to himself in the corner. Jane suspected, much as he was doing, Lisbon's right hand man was having a hard time with the self restraint. With stopping himself from walking over, pulling his gun, and spraying Mashburn's brains across their not so pristine wall.

All Jane could think was, "Take a number and get in line."

A lot of people shared Cho's sentiment.

"Hey, Cho, get a few towels from the closet and the keys from the kitchen counter." Jane said as he studied Lisbon figuring out the best way to do what needed to be done in a manner causing her as little pain as possible. "You're driving."

Turning his attention back to his wife, Jane scooped her up in his arms daring anyone to protest as Lisbon rested her head against chest trying to ignore the agony of moving.

"Rigsby, Van Pelt, you're in charge. Since we're having some unexpected issues here, we're not waiting on the EMT's." Jane turned towards the door without further explanation knowing his orders were being obeyed without checking.

"Jane?" Van Pelt's voice halted him momentarily.

"We'll see you at the hospital when all of this is done." Jane tossed over his shoulder knowing that was all Grace wanted to hear.

"We'll be there." Van Pelt turned her attention back to the crime scene reassured Jane and Cho had everything under control. Or she hoped they did as much as anyone could. It wasn't that hard to guess what those unexpected issues were and she didn't like it.

She didn't like it at all.

###

Lifting Lisbon on the seat beside him, Jane slid into the seat beside her and closed the door. Watching Cho settle in the driver's seat he reached over to help his wife settle comfortably against the pillow resting on his lap and pulled the blanket over her.

"I'm okay, Jane." Lisbon closed her eyes feeling the SUV pull out of their drive.

"I'll take you word for it." Jane rested his hand against the folded towel covering her shoulder.

"You don't have a lot of choice." Lisbon smirked at him through her pain.

"I don't suppose I do." Jane agreed glad to see glimpses of his tough as nails wife in the scared woman sprawled on his lap.

"Trust me, you don't." Lisbon rested her hand on top of his.

"How close together are they?" Jane asked as he smoothed the hair back from her cheek.

"They're not really. It's that they feel different than the others felt." Lisbon said without opening her eyes enjoying the feel of resting her head on Jane's lap.

"I have no doubts you're in labor, My Dear, I'm just hoping they can stop it and the farther apart the contractions are the better off I believe we'll be." Jane answered honestly pressing a fresh towel from the stack he'd had Cho fetch against the bullet wound in Lisbon's shoulder.

As much as he hated hurting her, he had little choice.

The more blood she lost, the greater the stress on her system. Not that the pain was much better; but, she was handling it well as she'd been through all of this before. Glancing at the bloody towels littering the floor, Jane decided they were making a mess out of CBI property. This vehicle would never be the same again.

"They will." Lisbon assured him confidently. "It isn't time."

"You hold on to that belief." Jane smiled at the soft "Hail Mary's" passing her lips and decided his money was on his wife and the Power that was.

Taking his cell phone from his pocket, he hit a number on speed dial and spoke to Dr. Youst's receptionist knowing it was only a matter of moments before he'd be talking with Emily herself. He was exactly right. It wasn't two minutes before he was briefly explaining Lisbon's harrowing brush with death and her current condition. Reassured a special trauma team would be waiting and that Emily, herself, would be there as quickly as possible, Jane clicked off his cell turning his attention back to his wife instead.

"Emily's meeting us at the hospital?" Lisbon asked.

"We'll probably get to the hospital first, but she'll bet there as soon as possible." Jane informed her.

"Good." While not the norm, Lisbon was reassured that her doctor had become a close personal friend.

"Yes, it is. You'll be in the best hands." Jane agreed not sure he liked the way that bullet wound was still bleeding.

"Jane, now that the crap's hit the fan and…he's… in custody, why don't you explain the meaning of that flower arrangement?" Lisbon asked the one question she knew he didn't want to answer. "From your reaction, I'm betting it was nothing nice; but, I'm too tired to keep saying 'Hail Mary's' and I'd really like to know."

"No, you wouldn't." Jane said not wanting to share the information but knowing he would if Lisbon persisted.

"Yeah, well, I would." That tone indicated she was in dog worrying a bone mode. "I recognize the Lily and Hyacinths. They sell both of those in the grocery store so they can't be bad."

"It's not the choice of the flowers so much as the color, Lisbon, and our old friend clearly subscribed to the psychopath's version of Floriography." Jane advanced the conversation he didn't want to have. "Well, I suppose it is the choice of flowers as well if you know what's being conveyed. If you don't, who really cares? A pretty flower is just a pretty flower."

"But those weren't just pretty flowers so you might as spill. I'll find out somewhere." Lisbon winced as she adjusted her position for the thousandth time. "Besides, I need something to take my mind off of all of this."

"Have it your way. We'll start with the orange lillies." Jane adjusted the towel resting against her shoulder. "They symbolize hatred, Lisbon. Hatred I'm not sure is aimed at you, me, or both of us. It doesn't really matter." Ignoring her indrawn breath, Jane continued his monologue. "Yellow hyacinths mean jealousy and the purple ones mean sorrow. The pink Larkspurs say fickleness and the purple monkshood mean a deadly foe is near."

"You left out those smaller orange and yellow flowers." Lisbon observed not sure if she really wanted to know. "Some kind of Marigold?"

The first part had been bad enough and Jane had probably left those flowers out for a reason Lisbon now wanted to know.

"Aztec Marigolds, Lisbon, Flor de Muertos." Jane said knowing Lisbon's fertile mind could supply the rest.

"It's those flowers we see everywhere on the Day of the Dead." Lisbon felt her stomach churn at his words.

"They symbolize pain and grief." What Red John had meant to cause both of them.

"No wonder you demanded Van Pelt do something with that thing." He'd wanted the whole bouquet destroyed as soon as possible.

Being the good cop she was Grace hadn't complied with his wishes. The repulsive thing complete with red smiley face was evidence. She'd merely swept it out of Jane's line of sight instead. They'd bag and tag it later along with the rest of the evidence.

"Yeah, well, you'd have done the same if you're realized it was nothing but a veiled threat hidden in plain sight." Jane rested his hand against her belly.

"I suppose I would have." Lisbon agreed as her hand rested on top of his.

She really didn't mind the whole sprawling on the backseat with her head resting on Jane's lap one bit. Or she wouldn't under different circumstances. She really wouldn't.

"They seem to have calmed." Jane commented to no one in particular hoping Lisbon would confirm his suspicions.

"I think so." She agreed glancing through the front windshield. "I also think we're almost there."

"We are." Jane agreed gently helping Lisbon sit up as Cho pulled into the hospital parking lot. "Teresa?"

"It's nothing." Lisbon said as she rested her hand on her belly and resumed her quiet praying.

"It's far from nothing; but it's not unexpected that the change in position would start them up again." Jane corrected her as Cho pulled in front of the sliding Emergency Room doors. "Cho, park the car. I'm taking Lisbon inside."

Watching Jane swing Lisbon easily from the backseat into his arms through the side mirror, Cho was surprised at how strong the man really was. Not that the Boss was a big woman by any means, not even with the extra baby weight; but, looks were deceiving. So much about the man wasn't as it seemed as the team had learned over the years. Like that air of ennui he wore most of the time. Beneath the shield, Jane was a very caring man. And while he didn't like guns, he was fully capable of using one effectively when he needed to. As for his strength, he'd obviously made use of more than just the showers at the CBI gym. The list went on and on.

Satisfied Jane had the Boss safely inside as he could see them being met at the door by a guerney and several scrubs clad figures, Cho circled the drive to find a parking space.

He needed to get inside as quickly as possible to run interference.

Goodness only knew the trouble Jane would cause knowing Lisbon and the Baby Janes were threatened.

###

"Can we get some help here?" Jane said as they passed through the Emergency Room doors reassured by the soft droning against his neck.

The woman still hadn't given up her fervent praying. Not that he'd expected her to. That never ending well of faith was one of the many things he loved about her. It had kept Lisbon on his side when she had no reason to be. He was very grateful for it.

"The name's Teresa Lisbon Jane." Jane said as he laid Lisbon on the gurney carefully avoiding jostling her any more than necessary. "Dr. Youst called to say we were coming."

Lisbon snorted softly noting none of Jane's words were necessary as they'd been met at the entrance by the staff now sweeping her through swinging doors leaving him standing somewhat stupidly staring at the single nurse left behind with her gently restraining hand on his arm. Sometimes the man just liked to hear himself talk. Especially when he was really nervous and upset as she was sure he was now. Not to mention probably in shock from several different causes.

Watching Lisbon disappear, Jane turned his attention to the fingers lightly gripping his elbow.

"Come with me and we'll get you back there as soon as possible." The nurse firmly led Jane through a door into a small office. "They need to assess the situation with as few as distractions as possible. Dr. Youst should be arriving any time now. She was on her way when she called us."

"You're saying I would be a distraction?" Jane's eyebrow rose dangerously.

As if he'd interfere with the care of his wife and children.

"We've been warned about you; so, yes, I'd say you could prove a distraction without meaning to." The nurse whose name tag read "Abby" said quite bluntly.

"We'll, Nurse Abby, you might be right." Jane conceded resisting the urge to drag his hand through his hair.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mean to be." Abby continued. "But this is a highly charged moment and you're quite ragged around the edges. Besides, I'm not sure you could help being a distraction."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jane sat back in his chair not sure what to make of the woman sitting across from him.

"Any number of things starting with your looks and personality which are both distracting enough without the rest of the story which most of us already know. You're Patrick Jane, the CBI's Golden Boy. Your wife's a decorated CBI Agent. You've both been on the news a lot the past few years without mentioning that whole running off to join the circus thing when they thought she'd murdered that guy and coming back a couple. The list goes on and on.

If you don't think the staff around here has been following your story since the start…." Abby continued.

"We're hardly the romance of the century, Abby, just a normal couple like any other." Jane interrupted.

"I'll take your word for it." Abby continued. "But you get what I'm saying? Let the staff do what they need to do to get things under control and I'll get you back there as soon as possible."

"We just need to finish this paperwork first." Jane smirked at her nod.

"Yes, we do." Abby shoved the clipboard in his direction. "You had a beautiful wedding by the way. Your wife was quite lovely and you were dashing but you already know that."

"I suppose it was and I suppose I do." Jane agreed looking Abby in the eyes. "All I really cared about was finally getting that ring on Lisbon's finger. You have no idea how long it took me to get her there. She can be quite the slippery character." Jane winked deciding he liked Nurse Abby. Actually Nurse Practitioner Abby from her name tag. He had a feeling she'd prove a valuable ally before this night was over.

"Independent woman, huh?" Abby watched him scribble on the first of the papers.

"You have no idea." Jane repeated again.

"But you love each other." Abby offered with that sappy look in her eye Lisbon pretended not to get when he forced her to watch a chick flick.

"I'd say we do." Jane agreed scrawling his signature across the line.

"That kiss said it all." Abby took the clipboard he pushed in her direction and looked over the forms.

Just as they'd expected, those over the top kisses at the end of their wedding ceremony had made it into the evening news and straight to Red John exactly as they'd feared. Jane was reasonably sure that was what had pushed Mashburn over the edge and finally made him come after Lisbon so blatantly. He'd almost gotten her, too. The only good thing to come out of Bertram's meddling was they'd finally caught the bastard. And hopefully, with some divine intervention, the rest of the mess he'd caused would work out fine, too. He'd find out soon enough.

"You're an unrepentant romantic aren't you, Nurse Practitioner Abby. Sorry I didn't notice that before." Jane couldn't help the smile at her nod.

"'Fraid so." Abby agreed. "Most of us are and since we're Dr. Youst's main hospital we were all looking forward to you guys coming in. Not exactly like this; but, you know what I'm saying. We were all anticipating being part of the happy ending."

"A happy ending we'll hopefully still get." Jane said with more confidence than he felt.

"I'm sure we will if that team back there has anything to say about it." Abby reassured him.

"I think you're probably right." He'd definitely gotten the impression that rather motley crew meant business. "Emily was smart in selecting you to distract me, Abby, and you've done a good job. But, now that you have what you need, I'd like to see Lisbon." Jane said quietly.

"I'll see what I can do." Abby rose to her feet and disappeared down the hall.

Watching her go, Jane sat back in his chair determined to show far more patience with this situation than he normally would. For some reason, he trusted that Abby to get him where he wanted to be. No, where he needed to be for the sanity of everyone involved. Perhaps it wouldn't happen as fast as he'd like; but, it would eventually happen. As soon as his friend, Nurse Abby, deemed it possible.

For once, he could live with that.


	28. Chapter 28

Slipping as quietly as he could through the door, Jane made his way into Lisbon's private hospital room. While Abby had honored her word as far as she could and gotten him back to his wife's side, Emily had shooed him back to the waiting room a few hours later. Wonder of wonders, Jane hadn't protested or tried to get around their doctor's orders. He'd simply joined the rest of the team down the hall determined to do what was best for his family. He'd lost track of how long he'd been here a long time ago. Oh, he could certainly figure if out if he tried; but, he didn't really care how long it had been. He'd been lightly dozing for the upteenth time when Cho tapped him on the shoulder to tell him a nurse just dropped by to say he could join Lisbon in 213.

Thanking the Agent, he'd wasted no time getting where he most wanted to be only to discover his wife still sleeping.

"Hey, I wasn't expecting to see you so soon." Lisbon said sleepily not bothering to open her eyes as she already knew who'd entered her room.

Or maybe she wasn't.

"I hope you don't think I went back to the office?" Jane asked seriously as he dropped a kiss on her lips reaching for the hand not attached to the i.v.s "I've been out there waiting to come in for the last several hours."

"That long, huh? I must have been sleeping." Lisbon said finally looking at him. "You were with me at the start weren't you?" Her mind was still foggier than it should be from a combination of shock and whatever drugs they'd given her.

She wouldn't call the cocktail dripping into her veins nasty because it seemed to be working; but, whatever was in those bags up there packed an unexpected punch. Or maybe it was just her body shutting down from all of the excitement. Lisbon didn't know and she didn't care.

"That's exactly what you should be doing." Jane agreed. "I left you long enough to fill out the preliminary paperwork while they got you settled in the back. Once that was done, your number one fan, Nurse Abby, brought me to you where I stayed for a short while. Emily made me leave about the time you drifted into oblivion."

"I'm sorry." Lisbon squeezed his hand. "I know you were worried."

"It's okay. You were in good hands." Jane reassured her not wanting to admit "worried" didn't begin to describe what he'd been going through. "They weren't taking any chances with anyone upsetting you including me." And he'd been plenty upset. "As you were resting quietly, you made for lousy company anyway."

Lisbon smiled at his remark knowing every word was true.

"I guess so… From what I can feel, nothing's happened that I need to know about." Lisbon carefully ran her i.v.'d hand over the curve of her belly not at all sure she'd remember if it had.

She'd been pretty stressed out and in bad shape by the time they'd finally gotten to the hospital. Not to mention in terrible pain as well. Cho had done a masterful job of safely weaving the SUV in and out of traffic and the other drivers had responded respectfully to their flashing lights. It was fortunate Rigsby and Cho had brought a work vehicle home as the entire team intended driving back to Hardeeville first thing in the morning. They'd had some interviews to conduct that weren't happening any time soon now.

"They're both still where they belong and you've slept through the night and the better part of the day. The only thing you need to know is none of your injuries were quite as insignificant as you'd like to pretend. Every one of those cuts needed stitches." Jane couldn't bring himself to say "stabs" as the thought still made him see red. "We aren't discussing that bullet to the shoulder which, while bad enough, could have been so much worse. You're going to have some nasty scars when you finally heal." Scars and rehab, but they'd visit all of that later. Oh, and the hated psych evaluation.

He knew how Lisbon felt about rehab and it wasn't pretty. She hated psych evals even more.

"Then there's the deep bruising on your hip as well as other places. You'll be in pain from those for a while. Why didn't you tell anyone you fell?" Jane asked quietly knowing whatever caused those injuries, as much as the other shocks to her system, had caused her premature labor.

"Because I didn't fall and I didn't want you to kill him in cold blood. Not that I would have minded; but, I had my reasons." Lisbon responded honestly. "We need you here with us. Not in jail for first degree murder."

"He knocked you round." Jane shook his head at the confirmation of what he already knew.

Either that or he'd struck her over and over again which wasn't any better.

"He was pretty angry with us and I wasn't going down without a fight." Lisbon recalled the fight she'd ultimately come much too close to losing. "I have too much to live for in case you've forgotten. I wasn't letting him kill me that easily. I may have knocked myself into a thing or two getting away."

"We're lucky you're so strong. The blood loss alone was enough to cause premature labor without the rest of it. You're going to have to be careful from here on out. We need to make it another four or five weeks to give them the best chance at being as healthy as possible." Jane prefaced the conversation he didn't really want to have but needed to.

"Is that your way of telling me I'm going to be here a while?" Lisbon already dreaded what she was going to hear.

"You'll be here another three or four days as a precaution…Maybe a day or two longer if you're not bouncing off the walls." Jane confirmed. "But, that's not what I need to tell you."

"They don't expect any problems?" Everything she'd been told had been good; but, since she was the one in the hospital bed, that didn't necessarily mean a thing.

She knew it was what they hadn't told her that mattered most.

"You're doing very well considering, and no, they don't expect any problems. If there are any complications, I'll only be a phone call away." Jane decided he might as well just say what needed to be said.

"What do you mean you'll only be a phone call away?" Lisbon asked warily.

"Red John is done. We have a whole new life ahead of us. I want us to start it with a clean slate and that can't happen the way things are…I've left things hanging in Malibu for way too long... I need to wrap them up before you get out of the hospital as I'm not leaving your side once you do…I should be back in say three or four days." Jane refused to look at Lisbon knowing he wouldn't like the look on her face.

Just saying what he had to say without seeing the doubt and fear in her eyes was hard enough.

"You need to think." Lisbon said.

"I need to put things into perspective and deal with everything that's happened. I need to lay my past to rest." Jane answered honestly. "Mostly, I need to get rid of the house. That chapter needs to close before this other can truly open. I should be able wrap up everything before you get out of here which I think would be best for both of us."

"What do you mean get rid the house?" Lisbon asked.

"Exactly what do you think I mean? It's time to shut that door and accept one of those open offers still trickling in over the years. It's nothing more and nothing less, Lisbon. I can't do that from here. There are things I need to discuss with my Realtor face to face and cosmetic work to be overseen." Jane told her knowing Lisbon would read between the lines.

There were good-byes to say as well.

Not the kind to be spoken over cold, hard slabs of stone.

Those he'd already done.

"Okay." Lisbon's hesitancy clearly conveyed she wasn't sure how she felt about this latest turn of events. "When do you plan on leaving?"

"I was thinking about late tomorrow evening." While he'd rather go today and just get it done, Jane knew that wouldn't go over well with anyone. Neither Lisbon nor the team would buy the whole the sooner he finished, the sooner he wouldn't have to leave again rationale. It didn't take a genius to know there was more to his retreat than dumping the house. "That would give me some time with you and Gillian a few hours to get the ball rolling."

"You've really had offers coming in for a decade?" Lisbon asked in disbelief.

"More than you would think." Jane confirmed. "You'd be surprised how many twisted people there are out there wanting to live in a 'Murder House.' Mine in particular. Given Red John's identity, I suspect that number has recently grown exponentially. I'm fairly confident I'll get my asking price."

"I'm sure you will." Lisbon reluctantly agreed more concerned about other things.

"Teresa, none of this is about us." Jane reassured her. "None of what's happened has changed my feelings for you or caused me to question my commitment to you or to them. It's made me aware of loose ends I've left hanging much too long…That I need to let go of my past before we can walk into our future. I'm asking you to let me do that with your blessing. To trust me enough to know we'll be fine and I'll be back where I belong in a couple of days."

"I do trust you." They'd been through too much for her to start doubting him now.

"Good because I'm not going anywhere. If I didn't know this had to be done, I wouldn't leave you now." Jane hoped she could see the honesty in his eyes.

"I'll take your word for it." Lisbon agreed. "I'm fine with you doing what needs to be done. As strange as it seems, I really am."

"Good." Jane said. "That'll make it easier to deal with the fallout when I get back. The team and Minelli aren't going to understand. That you do will make the whole situation easier for all of us in the end.

"I suppose it will." Lisbon wasn't too sure about that.

Cho could be a pit bull when he needed to be and Jane fleeing in the midst of all this mess wasn't going to sit well with him, valid reasoning or not. Rigsby and Van Pelt weren't going to be much better. Virgil would probably be a little easier as he'd base his reaction largely on hers. If she was comfortable with Jane going, he'd be okay, too. That is until Jane gave him cause to change his opinion. Then there would be hell to pay.

"Teresa, we don't have to worry about any of that now." Jane reminded her. "I'm not going anywhere for a while."

"So you're going to stay for a while?" Lisbon watched him settle comfortably in his chair.

"I'm not going anywhere until they throw me out." Jane said as he reached for the bag he'd brought with him. "Why don't you close your eyes and take a nap. I know you have to be tired."

"What are you going to do while I sleep?" Her eyelids were awful heavy.

"Read a little, doze a little, go irritate Nurse Abbey." Jane said with a wink.

"Stop flirting with the nurses, Jane." Lisbon rolled her eyes at his incorrigibleness.

"I can't help myself." Jane said. "She's a real cutie pie and she thinks we're the romance of century. I keep trying to persuade her that the truth is far less interesting. That you're just a cranky old pregnant lady like all the rest and I'm a besotted fool at the mercy of your hormones like any other expectant father-to-be.

She isn't buying it. She says there's something about the way I look at you that says something entirely different. That says you're my everything and those two, well, they're the glitter on the magic ruby slippers. Her words, not mine. Personally, I think Nurse Abby has watched one too many fantasy movies, but who am I to judge? When the girl is right, she's right."

Lisbon snorted at his words. "So you're saying we aren't in Oz any more, Jane?"

"We were never in Oz, My Dear." Jane corrected her. "In the land of self-delusions perhaps; but, we were never in Oz."

Lisbon snorted again.

"And she's right you know." Jane said again. "You are my everything."

"We feel the same." Lisbon ran her hand over her belly knowing her babies would love their daddy as much as she did once they got to know him.

"_You_, Lisbon, you're my everything." Jane clarified in case she thought differently. "_They_ are the icing on the cake. The unexpected bonus neither of us ever expected to get."

"And you're as much of a revolting romantic as your friend, Nurse Abby." Lisbon teased.

"Perhaps I am, but she's your friend, too." Jane corrected her. "She got me past the doctors for those first few hours when you were first brought in."

"You were there holding my hand." Lisbon's memories of that period were still hazy enough she wasn't sure what was fact and what was fiction.

"Until they decided you were becoming aware enough that my distress might distress you more." Jane confirmed. "Then they sent me away until they were sure they had everything under control. It was touch and go for too many hours."

"What do you mean?" She'd been under the impression they'd given her some medicine and everything had been all right within a very short period of time.

"They came much too close to being born, Teresa." Jane told her the truth. "We squeaked by. The next time you go into labor, they won't be able to stop it. We'll be parents whether we want to or not and whether they're ready or not. That's why you have to do everything the doctors tell you to while I'm gone."

"I don't intend to do anything different." No matter how much she didn't like it. "I'll behave, I promise."

"Good. I'm going to have Minelli and the team hold you to it." Jane lifted his book as he opened the cover and turned his attention to the first page knowing Lisbon would eventually fall asleep if he ignored her as she needed to do.

"Jane, honestly." Lisbon caught the title of the book and burst out laughing. "You aren't reading a book of baby food recipes?"

"Go to sleep, Lisbon." Jane said not looking up from an interesting recipe for a sweet potato apple mash. "For your information, it's _natural _baby food recipes. One of us needs to do it and I know that someone won't be you."

Lisbon laughed at his snippy tone silently agreeing with him.

It wouldn't be her.

But their _Daddy_ was a different matter. He would be well prepared for a few months down the road. _He_ only wanted the best for his Baby Janes. If only their _mother_ felt the same. The ungrateful wench…didn't she know babies were a gift from God? Whether he actually believed in Him or not, Lisbon did, and she should act accordingly.

Closing her eyes, Lisbon laughed one last time amused by the silent rant she knew was running through his head.

She was pleased as well that she hadn't lied to Jane a lifetime ago.

She really had learned to read his mind somewhere along the way.

###

Watching the foam rolling over the sand, Jane tossed a shell into the ocean. The repairs on the house were well under way and he had given serious consideration to the offers Gillian had shown him across her desk. If the forty-something crime novelists' counter offer came back within two grand of his counter, Malibu was theirs.

He'd liked both of them when he'd met them at the final showing. They were two very normal people who'd met at their Editor's office fifteen years ago. Like anyone else, they'd eventually fallen in love, gotten married, and just happened to write NYT Bestselling "Who Done-Its" for a living. What wasn't to like about Karen and Jim? While they didn't have any children, they did have four cats for goodness sakes. How much more _ordinary_ could you get?

It didn't hurt that they genuinely loved the house though it was the murder of his family that had initially caught their interest. They'd not realized purchasing Malibu was an option when they'd first started nosing around. Now that they did, they really wanted a piece of the history they wrote even if they never included a Red John like character in any of their novels.

And, strangely enough, Jane wanted them to have it. He hoped they came through. If they did, he'd gladly sign on the dotted line knowing his old life was about to become something vibrant and new.

Adding to his content, he'd spent a number of hours alone in the house reminding himself it hadn't always been a house of death. Once upon a time it had been a house of life. Choosing to relive his pleasant memories, Jane dwelled on lazy Sunday mornings spent in bed with his wife. He recalled where he'd been standing the night she'd told him they were going to be parents and the surprise he'd felt. He remembered the day Charlotte Anne was born. More importantly, he recalled the day they'd brought her home, the days that came after, and so very much more.

By the time he'd locked the door behind a few minutes ago, Jane had relived a life well spent with his girls. He'd said good bye to the ghosts and sent them packing with all the love still in his heart knowing that while he would never forget them, it was finally time to move on in a way he hadn't.

Kicking at a shell, Jane turned his thoughts to less pleasant things.

Like the fact his wife and daughter's murderer had slept with his current wife.

Of course, none of them had known that at the time. How could they? Mashburn hid his depravity too well. As for him, he certainly wouldn't have encouraged their romance if he'd had an inkling of the man's alter-ego. He'd have killed him instead. Then again, if he'd actually believed Lisbon would sleep with Walter, he'd never have encouraged it in the first place. He still wasn't sure what had gotten into the woman to act so out of character. Practical, no nonsense, self-respecting Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon of the CBI did _not_ sleep with unrepentant, womanizing billionaires like Walter Mashburn. It just wasn't done. Yet, she had done it and he'd been blown away.

Now, they were blown away by the repercussions of what they'd both done behind the scenes on that fateful case so long ago.

He'd kept pushing them together and Mashburn had kept making passes until Lisbon had finally relented and given into a very obvious attraction. She'd claimed a few stolen hours with a forbidden man she'd never intended turning into anything more. And, mercifully, it hadn't. But, her actions had opened Jane's eyes to the possibilities and he'd kept a careful watch after that. No one was stealing his Lisbon before he was ready to claim her for himself. If only he'd known the truth back then.

Truthfully, he couldn't say how he would have reacted…If he could have forgiven her or if their relationship would have ended…He honestly didn't know.

Knowing she'd slept with Mashburn had hurt bad enough at the time. That she'd let him possess her body behind closed doors knowing he was waiting on her had been had to swallow. Though knowing Lisbon as well as he did, he'd bet a sizable sum it had been Lisbon possessing Mashburn. He seriously doubted she'd have permitted it to be the other way around. She was nothing if not in control of her casual encounters.

All of that being said there was still a cancerous part of him wanting to hold her betrayal against her. Scoffing at that dark part of his being, Jane reminded himself he was but getting a taste of what Lisbon had felt when she learned so callously of Lorelei from none other than his lover herself. He could only imagine the anguish she'd felt imagining him taking the other woman to bed. It hadn't helped that he'd only been using the woman. He'd still possessed her, brought her pleasure, and spilled himself within her sharing a degree of intimacy he hadn't known since his wife.

Twisting the knife, Lisbon had known he'd felt a certain empathy for Lorelei. It was a strange kinship born of kindred life experiences and the petite brunette's inherent vulnerability. And while she'd believed him when he'd intimated he had no desire to repeat the experience, Lisbon had to have known he'd enjoyed the encounter. And he'd enjoyed the kisses they shared after. Lorelei had reminded him he was still a man and of some of the pleasures being a man entailed.

Continuing his journey, Jane considered some hard truths. What Lisbon had done was no worse than what he'd done to her. In fact, it wasn't as bad. They hadn't known Walter Mashburn was Red John…Had suspected no such thing…However, he'd known from the start exactly who Lorelei was. That she was Red John's girl. And he'd slept with her anyway never once caring what it would do to Lisbon when she found out. No, he'd cared. He'd cared a great deal; but, catching Red John was more important. Besides, he'd felt sure he could eventually smooth it over with his "Boss".

He always did.

What an arrogant fool he was at times.

His stupidity had almost cost him everything.

He wasn't going to make that mistake again.

He wasn't losing Lisbon.

Besides, that stupid caveman part of him that was trying to cause trouble between him and his woman was overlooking what was right in front of his eyes. Mashburn had never touched the part of Lisbon that really mattered. The part she kept so tightly locked away. She didn't give that woman to just anyone and Mashburn was nothing if not just an anyone.

It was the fragile part of her she'd so reluctantly relinquished to him the night they'd first made love.

Jane doubted any other man had ever seen that woman. If he had, it had been when Lisbon was very young and much too vulnerable. When she'd wanted nothing but to be loved in the way she should have been a long time ago and never was.

Perhaps when she was with Greg who, while a decent enough guy, was never strong enough to be the man she needed. That would make sense from what they'd intimated. For whatever reason, Jane doubted even he had seen her. Lisbon was much too good at hiding what she didn't want anyone to see as he was sure she'd been even back then.

Shaking his head, Jane couldn't stop the thought he knew the woman Mashburn had bedded that night and he knew her well. Or, rather, the woman who'd bedded Mashburn. That woman was all about power and control and pleasure. She wasn't about complications, feelings, and love. She was into sensual laughs and roughly scratching an erotic itch. She was rowdy and brazen and lusty in ways not readily apparent from her conservative demeanor. They'd had quite a few play dates over the past few months and, while Jane would admit she was a lot of fun, she wasn't _his _Lisbon.

She wasn't the woman who let him past her defenses to touch her soul. To wring a reponse from her body that had little to do with lust and everything to do with love. That was _his_ Lisbon and Mashburn hadn't touched _her_. Not the woman who panted beneath his touch and cried in his arms when the passion became too much. Nor the woman who'd allowed him to spill his seed and make her life a living hell for however many months it took to bring forth the product of their love. Or the woman who sometimes whispered in his arms they would do all of this again when the time was right in spite of her fears. As hard as it was proving to be, she loved the feeling of nurturing his children with her far more than she'd ever believed possible. _That _was his Lisbon and he adored her.

Mashburn had never touched that woman and he never would.

She belonged to Patrick Jane as completely as Jane belonged to her.

Deciding there really wasn't anything else to think about though he was sure his mental monologue was far from over, Jane allowed himself to fill with his love for Lisbon.

To bask in the love he knew she felt for him.

Whether his wife was ready to accept it or not, everything was going to be all right.

He was sure of it.

Now that he'd silenced that annoying voice in his head.

###

Jane."

Jane rolled his eyes at the sound of his name being called.

"Cho."

He hadn't even had time to see Lisbon yet.

"Need to talk."

Talk about cutting to the chase.

"About what?"

Did he really need to ask?

"The Boss."

Just as he'd thought.

"What about Lisbon?"

Here we go.

"You were gone three days."

Actually three and a half; but, who was counting?

"And Teresa knew exactly where I was and what I was doing. We discussed it before I went. I called in several times a day as you already know." Jane said as he led Cho back outside the front entrance and a ways down the campus out of hearing range.

"Yeah, I do." Cho admitted.

"Then what's the problem?" Jane asked. "I would have caught the next flight home had there been any difficulties. There weren't and now I'm here."

"I want to make sure you don't have any doubts." Cho had been steeling himself for this confrontation since the first day he'd left.

When the team had corned him to let him know he'd been elected to tackle Jane about bailing on Lisbon in her hour of need.

"I never had any doubts, just things to work through." Jane saw no reason to lie.

"What did you decide?" Cho's asked bluntly.

"That should be obvious. I'm here aren't I?" Jane rolled his eyes in aggravation not wanting to waste another precious second in getting to Lisbon.

"And you're staying?" Cho asked what they most wanted to know.

"Don't be daft, Cho. What do you think?" Jane turned to viciously glare at him. "I got the girl and I'm keeping her. Do you honestly think that was ever in question? If you did, or you do, you're wrong.

I couldn't care less which of us got in her pants first." Crass statements aside, he _did_ care; but, not for any of the normal, possessive, masculine reasons his friend probably though he did.

It was more because such a thing should never have happened to Lisbon. She should never have been used that way. It probably wouldn't have; either, if he hadn't urged it along. It was an attraction she'd have never acted on if he hadn't planted the thought in her head. If Mashburn had left her be and he could have made him had he not been playing stupid mind games. Lisbon hadn't truly responded the first time around and she wouldn't have the second if he hadn't interfered. Jane knew that in his soul. He could hardly hold a peccadillo against her that was mostly his fault. He'd reasoned all of that out on the beach.

He shook his head in disbelief he'd ever been stupid enough to encourage an attraction she'd resisted over and over again. He'd never believed she'd go there. Not in a million years. Mash was a charming womanizer. Everyone knew that. Lisbon was a no-nonsense lady cop intolerant of such shenanigans. Everyone knew that as well. They had no future together and they'd both known it. Yet, Lisbon was only human and the pull had been strong. Jane closed his eyes accepting yet again the truth he'd never wanted to admit: He should have known better.

He was a Mentalist….

And Walter Mashburn was as close to Patrick Jane as Teresa Lisbon thought she would ever get.

He'd made all the wrong moves on that one.

And they'd both paid the price.

"You still had to think it through."

"Not about us and our life together. That's never been up for debate. Not even with myself…Not once we took the next step… That I never felt worthy of a woman like her was another matter. I haven't been a good man, Cho, we both know that. If there's one thing you can say about Lisbon without any doubts, she's a good woman and that's not going to change. A good woman deserves a good man don't you think?" Jane asked.

"Lisbon doesn't want a good man, Jane, she wants you." Cho reminded him. "That should be all that matters."

"That's the same conclusion I reached." Jane agreed. "In case you need to hear the words, leaving Lisbon never crossed my mind. I'd as soon die as entertain that thought."

Okay, Cho could believe that seeing the intensity in his eys.

"I did, however, have a house to put on the market, some farewells to say, and some feelings to lay to rest before moving forward which is exactly what I've done. I'm sorry you don't approve of my methods; but, Lisbon was fine with what I was doing. We discussed everything before I went.

She got three days of undisturbed rest, Malibu is sold, and old ghosts are finally laid to rest. It's as simple as that. Now, she can have my undivided attention."

"That's all there was to it?" Cho asked again.

"Yeah, that and some healthy Jane bashing for putting Lisbon in a vulnerable enough situation Mashburn could get his hands on her in the first place." Jane answered honestly. "If Lisbon can forgive me Lorelei, I can certainly forgive her indiscretion with a man neither of knew was anything but what he seemed…an amusing, womanizing s.o.b. with more money than sense." Jane laughed wryly as he led the way back through the front entrance and headed towards Lisbon's room. "As entertaining as this whole conversation has been, I'd really like to see my wife now if you don't mind."

"I don't mind." Cho said as though his opinion mattered. "I think they want you to stop by the Nurse's Station on the way in. The doctors want to talk to you."

"Fine, I'll do that." Jane agreed knowing the physicians treating Lisbon and other women like her were usually hanging around the hospital somewhere. "I assume you're going back to the CBI to report to the rest of the team that all is well."

"Yeah, I suppose I am." Jane's words were a firm statement leaving Cho little choice but to do as he was bid. "Tell Lisbon we'll be by later this evening."

"Will do, now trundle off like a good boy and let me see my wife." Jane dismissed him with a wave of his hand as he headed for the Nurse's Station.

Watching him disappear between the swinging doors, Cho just shook his head in defeat.

###

"You're late." Lisbon looked up from studying the channel changer in her hand.

"I had to stop by the Nurse's Station and talk to a couple of your doctors for a few minutes. There's nothing to be concerned about. You're doing remarkably well." Jane offered before she could jump to the wrong conclusions.

"You're sure?" Lisbon asked as he dropped a kiss on her lips.

"Perfectly, but I don't think the babies are what you're talking about." Jane called her on the obvious distress he could see in her eyes.

"I had time to contemplate what you were really thinking about." Lisbon said quietly.

"And what was that?" Jane asked. "I'm sure that I told you I was saying my final good-byes to Angela and Charlotte Anne." He sat on the edge of the bed.

"You also said you were selling the house which I'm sure you did as well." Lisbon sat the channel changer aside.

"I did." Jane agreed.

"But that isn't all you went away to think about." Lisbon continued.

"No, I can't say it is." Jane agreed knowing where this conversation was going and refusing to head it off at the pass.

If Lisbon felt the need to discuss this now, he was happy to talk about it.

"You were thinking about the fact I slept with the man who killed your wife and daughter." Lisbon stated.

"The thought did cross my mind." He'd spent a couple of days contemplating just that.

"And?" Lisbon asked.

"And, nothing. It doesn't matter. Not in any meaningful way. Besides, I pushed you there." Jane said honestly knowing at this stage of the game he wouldn't care if she'd gone to Mashburn's bed entirely of her own accord without his intervention.

He would still love her every bit as much as he did.

Added to that, he'd like Walter Mashburn. Not only that, he'd gone so far as considering him almost a casual friend. Even after the Lisbon Incident. He couldn't fault the man for doing what a part of him wished he'd done first. If he had, his first family's murderer would never have gotten his hands on his wife. Nor would any other man for he'd certainly have never let her go. Not after that invisible line was crossed.

Unfortunately, the timing had been dreadfully off and he hadn't been ready to take such a step so there was no one to blame but himself…If anyone was really to blame beyond serendipity. He wasn't sure they were. He'd come to the astounding conclusion that humans were humans and they all made mistakes…even him.

"You can't be serious." Lisbon said.

"Perfectly serious. You can't honestly believe I'd let Red John take you away from me now that I have you? If you do, then you're sadly mistaken. Meeting you is the only truly worthwhile event in my life other than Angela and Charlotte Anne.

Thanks to you, I have that future I never thought to have again. Nothing's changing that. Especially not Red John." Jane said quietly refusing to call the serial killer by any other name.

"You really mean what you're saying." Lisbon said as his words finally sank in.

"Yes, I do. I love you, Teresa. I love our babies. Accept that Walt was my Lorelei." Jane succinctly reminded her of a few unavoidable truths. "If I had any doubts, which I didn't, they were laid to rest in Malibu with the rest of the ghosts."

"Then we're really okay." Lisbon saw no subterfuge in his face.

"We're better than okay. You got over my indiscretion and I never held him against you in the first place. Nothing changed when we discovered he was Red John. I think a part of me always suspected that possibility; but, I could never quite make the pieces fit. I'm not sure any of that really matters now that it's over and done. He's in jail as you wanted though I'd prefer he was dead.

Who knows, Teresa, we might never have caught him if there'd never been that moment between you…If he'd never wanted to punish you for walking away from him…And us for finally finding our way to each other.

All that really matters is he's done and you're going to be fine.

I'd say it's time to move on…for all of us." Jane reached out to rub her belly.

"I can do that if you can." Lisbon placed her hand on top of his.

"Consider it done." Jane turned his hand to clasp hers knowing he wouldn't do anything to add to her stress.

Even if he wanted to which he didn't. He wasn't about to waste a second of his precious life imagining what she'd done with another man behind closed doors on a random night a life time ago. Any more than he hoped she wasn't wasting any time wondering what he'd done with a random woman in a hotel room in Vegas a lifetime ago. It wasn't important.

It was the things _they_ did each and every day out in the light of day for the world to see that mattered.

The things that said Teresa Lisbon Jane was _his_ girl and that wasn't going to change. No matter who might be lurking in the corridors of the CBI hoping differently. They could hope away.

As for the things they did behind closed doors; well, those things were nobody's business but their own.

"Now, I just have to get out of here." After the past couple of days, she was champing at the bit to be free as she'd been feeling so much better.

"Lisbon, there's no need to rush. You're going to be on bed rest until they're born. " Jane reminded her. "You've had a lot of shocks to your system physically, mentally, and emotionally. We're lucky they were able to stop your labor this time. Very lucky as they weren't expecting that to happen and I don't think it will a second time around."

"I know." Lisbon refused to contemplate what might have happened if it hadn't.

As she'd yet to hit thirty-one weeks, there were bound to be complications they hadn't foreseen. Her doctors had informed her she needed to make it at least another three to four weeks and preferably six if they could for her babies to have the best odds of being strong and healthy. She'd wisely taken them at their word knowing they'd probably worded their statements far more direct than they usually did given she was a stubborn lady cop. As much as she hated the idea of being bedridden, she'd do as they said for Patrick and Aislinn like a good mother should.

"If it makes you feel any better, you're doing much better than expected so the bed rest is modified for now. I've cleared it with your doctors' for you to spend most of your time on my couch in your office. As long as everything continues to go well, that's how it will be.

And while you can do some backseat leading working files, there's absolutely no fieldwork. Van Pelt's going to hang out to make sure you stay where you belong." Jane smiled at her resigned eye roll at learning Grace was her gatekeeper. She wouldn't get away with spit. The redhead could nag and worry with the best of them.

As for Jane, he was glad he'd daringly cornered her physicians and forced them to listen to his suggestions this morning. It had been worth the risk he'd get thrown out on his can as he'd had to get rather compelling to override their reservations against doing anything other than what was always done in instances like hers. Complete bed rest wouldn't work with Lisbon for an extended period of time. She was a workaholic lady cop. Her stress would be through the roof in less than a week. Besides, there was some question if bed rest really worked in the first place so he'd played that point as well knowing it was definitely questionable in Lisbon's case.

Any way you cut it, his wife would not do well in the low stimulus environment they seemed to think best. It would only stress her more. The woman was used to the hustle and bustle of the CBI. Finally taking his words to heart, they'd decided between them that Lisbon would do much better and be far more likely to get the necessary rest surrounded by the familiar atmosphere she thrived in than the comparative silence of their comfortable home. However, it went without saying, the first time she snuck off that couch to go to a crime scene, all bets were off. Jane would see her confined to a hospital bed. He'd given his word.

"You're kidding?" Lisbon asked in disbelief.

"I'm not. However, the first time you refuse to rest or demand to go to a crime scene, we're done. You'll be flat on your back at home before you know what hit you. The first time you actually go to a crime scene, you'll find yourself in a hospital bed under medical supervision. As long as you hang out in your office and get adequate rest, we'll be fine. Agreed?" Jane reminded her knowing it would be impossible to keep Lisbon from getting involved in the cases crossing her desk.

Or rather, the cases crossing Cho's desk as he was taking over as Temporary Team Leader while she was recuperating.

That being said, he knew it would be impossible to keep Lisbon from ever visiting a crime scene; but, she wasn't pulling anything like her usual schedule.

"Agreed." Lisbon said not sure whether to believe him or not until she got confirmation from the medical staff.

"Teresa, about the house…?" Jane left the sentence hanging.

"It's nothing a can of paint and some new carpet won't fix." Lisbon said quietly.

"You really feel that way?" Jane wasn't sure he believed her.

"I love that house, Jane. It's our home. We got married there and we caught Red John right in our bedroom. Do you honestly think I'd want to leave the place where our lives began over again?"

"You've given this a lot of thought."

"Yes, I have, and I'm not leaving. The nursery's perfect and I have the pool I've always wanted. And that garden you're going to put in." Lisbon closed her eyes hoping Jane could get past almost losing her there as well.

"I won't ask you to leave if you're sure. I'm fond of our house as well."

"I was hoping you'd feel that way."

"Teresa, it's not just the place where I almost lost you. It's the place you were ultimately saved and we were both delivered from the havoc of the past few years. I can put that spin on it and be perfectly fine with raising our children there." Jane said honestly.

"I like that idea a lot. Our home is our haven." Lisbon rolled her eyes at how gushy she sounded. Must be the baby hormones messing with her head again.

"I'm not so sure that'll be true once those two are born." Jane reminded her.

"I'm sure we'll find a way." Or he'd find a way Lisbon reminded herself.

Jane was so getting Daddy Duty when they got too rambunctious for her to handle. On second thought, she'd keep the Mommy Duty as Daddy would be much too prone to being wrapped around tiny little fingers. She'd been handling the Daddy Jane quite well for the better part of a decade. How hard could it be to add two Baby Janes to the mix?

She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

#

Taking a sip of tea and looking around her office, Lisbon couldn't believe she was back at the CBI. It might only be for a few hours and she might have spent most of the day on her couch, file in hand; but, she'd survived Red John and her life was normal again. Or she could consider it so in another couple of hours once she'd completed her first day of work. It had only taken her two weeks to get back on her feet. Right, if she could seriously consider sitting on her butt for a few hours being back on her feet.

Setting her cup aside and flipping open the cover on her file, Lisbon wasn't surprised to hear her door suddenly open and close.

"Jane?" She didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"He killed my father." Jane said to no one in particular.

"What?" Lisbon closed the file in her hands.

"I was reading through the interrogation. Roy Tagliaferro, or whoever the hell he called himself at the time, killed my father." Jane repeated.

"You're telling me Walter Mashburn was on the carney circuit?" While she'd been reading the interrogation notes, she'd not yet gotten that far.

Jane and her team had refused to allow her to watch the videos yet as Walt kept making random comments about and to her as he was convinced Lisbon was watching his interviews. Remarks she would ultimately find both embarrassing and disturbing at times. Jane wanted to beat the snot out of him for still being so intent on hurting a woman who'd really done nothing but politely rebuff his desire to make their one night stand into something more. Well, that and spend a decade of her life she could never get back doing everything in her power to put a crimp in his fun and his butt in jail. Oh, and she had gotten pregnant by and married another man. A man who just happened to be his nemesis in the bloody chess game he was so intent on winning. Maybe, just maybe, Jane decided, he could see where a psychopath might have a problem with that.

"No, I'm not. It wasn't that simple." Why he'd never made the connection on his own. That combined with the reality he'd lost all contact with Alexander when he and Angela made their grand escape. "Teresa, I've told you my father wasn't a nice man and he wasn't. He was a talented con who haunted the carney circuit when he needed to…When that happened he was usually hiding from a vengeful mark or the county Sheriff. It was safe and convenient...As you've already seen; it's not that hard to disappear back into the fold following a few basic rules." Jane said quietly. "Walt met my father a long time ago at a Black Jack table in Vegas when he was little more than a kid. Seeing some of my aptitudes in the young card shark, my father thought he'd found his next protégé…his greatest apprentice. The hell of it is he was right. He'd also found his murderer."

"Jane, you can't be serious?" This was more than Lisbon could absorb.

"I'm perfectly serious. How do you think he knew about me? How to go about finding us in carney town? My father told him everything he needed to know about the family the three or four years they worked together. He broke the cardinal rule of being carney and he betrayed the people who'd always protected us." Shaking his head, Jane wasn't really all that surprised at his father's actions.

Alexander had never really cared about anyone but himself.

"He told you all of this?" Lisbon asked.

"Technically, he told Cho. But, yeah, I suppose you could say that he did." Jane agreed. "He knew I was listening on the other side of the glass.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that." It had to be painful even given his feelings about Alexander. As much as he didn't like the man, Jane had still loved him as his father. Lisbon was sure of that. "And I'm sorry about your father."

"Me, too." Jane said quietly. "I'd hoped his life would end differently."

But, he'd known it wouldn't. Leopards like his father rarely changed their spots and they usually came to a bad end. That was just a fact of life.

"Do you know what happened?" As inappropriate as it might be, Lisbon was curious how much they were really learning about the man they'd spent a decade tracking.

"Yeah, pretty much. He's not holding anything back he thinks will hurt me." More personal things they needed to know to prosecute him, yeah; but, not the stabs to the heart for Jane. Those he was freely spilling.

"He'd already had his stint with Visualize by then and had already started killing as you know. I don't know what name he was going by in Vegas, he won't tell us. But, he continued his killing there as well. No one anyone would miss. It was mostly prostitutes and women no one would miss from the Strip. All trial runs on the way to developing Red John.

When my father figured out what he was up to, he foolishly confronted his young partner. My Dad didn't really care about the murders and he was hardly going to turn him in. He was more concerned about getting dragged into the mess when Red John got caught. He was perfectly willing to continue on as they were if he'd give up his side hobby. Unfortunately for my father, he preferred the thrill of the kill to their lucrative partnership so Alexander got his brains bashed in for his trouble. It seemed, by Red John's estimation, he'd learned all he could from his mentor so he'd already decided it was time for him to go before their confrontation ever took place.

My father is buried out there somewhere in the vastness of the Nevada desert probably never to be seen again. His selfish desire to recreate my talents cost him everything." The look in Jane's eyes said he'd never expected differently. "I guess he didn't die in vain. The monster he created went on to become the self made billionaire we know as Walter Mashburn using what he learned from Visualize and at my father's hands. Oh, and he became Red John somewhere along the way."

"I'm sorry." Rising to her feet, Lisbon allowed Jane to take her in his arms.

"The funny thing is that we still don't know his real name only his aliases. He isn't willing to tell us anything more." Jane said quietly.

"We'll find out eventually I'm sure." Lisbon automatically responded though she knew that wasn't a given.

"He didn't start out planning to go after me or my family." Jane continued as he rubbed his hand up and down her back. "Not until I opened my mouth on that talk show and he realized who I was. The pieces all fell into place and the game began."

"As we always figured it was something like that so the rest is history." Lisbon said.

"I suppose it is." Jane agreed. "The really sad thing is I'm not as torn up by all of this as I feel I should be."

"And you feel guilty for it." Lisbon leaned back in his arms to gaze into Jane's eyes. "You have no reason to be. You and your father weren't close. Or you hadn't been in years."

"He was still my father." Jane said quietly.

"Then mourn the father you loved." Lisbon said. "Not the man he was. We both know there was nothing you could do to change that. Just as there was nothing you could do to save him."

"You may be right." Jane said glad to have the woman in his arms in his life.

"I am and we both know it." Lisbon said firmly. "What do you say to calling it a day? I'm suddenly very tired."

"I think we can do." Jane agreed as he released her. "I'll let the team know we're leaving while you get your things."

"Sounds like a plan." Lisbon watched Jane walk out the door as she gathered her jacket and purse glad he hadn't fought her on it.

There was nothing either of them needed more at the moment than a quiet evening at home to regroup… just the two of them. She intended to see that they got it starting with a nice warm bath. They could finish with the steaks the refrigerator. Jane could have a glass of wine while she pretended with her glass of juice.

Tomorrow was soon enough to start dealing with all of this.


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Tina and guests, thanks for enjoying the story! ~ Calla

###

Meandering into the breakroom to make a cup of tea, Jane pondered the last few weeks since they'd caught Red John. If he'd thought everything would suddenly fall into place, he'd been sadly mistaken. If anything, they'd only gotten worse and he and Lisbon were right in the middle of it.

_It_ being the never ending puzzle missing way too many pieces to ever make sense since Red John wasn't talking.

What they did know, and had known for years, was Red John had moles in very high places. The CBI, the FBI, the State Department, the CIA for all he knew, and those moles were trying to save their own asses by destroying evidence as fast as they could. Jane doubted they would ever root out all the evil influences still lurking in the shadows. But they could try however futilely. Maybe they'd topple a few of them before they were done. It was worth a try.

Realistically, the best he could possibly hope to achieve was their enemies would go underground and leave his family alone now that their puppet master was locked in a very tight box for the rest of his life. Jane couldn't see any way Red John's sentence could be anything other than that. Or, several consecutive life sentences more likely given the swathe of blood he'd left in his wake. No one could deny they had Mashburn dead to rights for attempted murder where Lisbon was concerned as well as the body count he'd accumulated over the years.

Speaking of Lisbon, she'd be one of the Prosecution's key witnesses as both the law enforcement officer who'd worked the Red John Case the longest and as his final victim. Jane wasn't looking forward to that; but, Lisbon was tough. She could handle it and he'd be right by her side to make sure she did. As he would be by her side when she finally confronted Mashburn face to face for the first time since he'd tried to kill her. While Jane didn't expect it to amount to much, it was something Lisbon felt she needed for closure even if it had to wait until after her babies were born. He'd already done his own confronting and gotten little satisfaction for his trouble.

Draining his cup, Jane realized he'd been standing in the breakroom much too long. He'd only meant to make his tea, not drink it, too. Washing his cup and saucer, he dried his hands and headed down the hall confident Lisbon was still in her office where she was supposed to be.

She'd done surprisingly well since her return to work. She'd not demanded to go to any crimes scenes although they'd taken her to one or two after the fact. Mostly Lisbon backseat drove offering Cho insights from her years as Team Leader and spotted clues from the paperwork her team had missed. Jane was pleased she was handling things as well as she was. Working when she wanted and resting when she needed as they'd agreed from her hospital bed. It didn't get any better than that with a Lisbon as he knew from experience.

Shaking his head, Jane still wasn't sure from what he'd learned from his research, that the whole bed rest scenario wasn't so much poppy cock in the first place. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. There seemed to be some valid research suggesting it might even hurt as it tended to lower a woman's blood pressure. Personal feelings aside, all that really mattered was Lisbon was doing well.

Walking into her office without knocking, Jane wasn't surprised to see her gazing out the window. The woman spent as much time sitting behind her desk and standing in that window as she did resting on her couch. He wasn't going to fault her for her choices. Whatever she was doing, it seemed to work. They hadn't had any more close calls since she'd been released from the hospital. Catching Red John had made all the difference in the world…For both of them.

While not surprised where he found her, Jane was surprised, however, by the taunt rigidity of her body.

"Jane." Lisbon said absently as she sensed his presence behind her.

"Teresa." Lightly gripping her shoulders, Jane drew her against him back to chest resting his palms against the hardening of her abdomen. "How long has this been going on?"

"Most of the day." Meaning a good five or six hours Lisbon thought as she leaned into him and closed her eyes.

"You're awfully calm for a woman in labor." Far more at peace than he'd expected her to be having never done this before.

"I'm a cop." Lisbon knew he could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Yes, you are, and too tough for your own good at times. Don't you think we should head for the hospital?" The place she should already be considering this was considered a high risk pregnancy.

"Why? We've got hours yet." Lisbon rested her hands over his comfortingly.

"We don't know that. Babies can be tricky things." He didn't need to add "and these are Baby Janes" as she already knew.

"These aren't and the contractions are still fifteen minutes apart…You okay, Jane?" Lisbon asked more concerned with how he was handling the revelations of the past couple of weeks than her going through the very natural process of giving birth.

High risk pregnancy or not, everything had progressed normally since she'd been released from the hospital. Even Jane though she knew he was far from normal. She still wasn't sure what was going through his head. As attentive and loving as ever, there were shadows in his eyes she didn't like.

Shadows she'd never seen before.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Jane said. "We're okay, Teresa." His lips brushed lightly against her temple. "I'm not going to keep telling and showing you that." His tone was slightly exasperated.

"Yes, I think we are." Lisbon agreed finally accepting him at his word.

Her Jane didn't lie to her. He hadn't for a long time and never about personal things. He'd proven that over and over again. Any doubts she harbored were of her own creation. Mentally shaking herself, Lisbon decided it was time to stop being a fool. It was time to conquer the last of her lingering demons. Her best course of action was trusting Jane to work out any remaining darkness on his own. If he needed her, he knew she was here. That should be enough for both of them. She'd have to see that it was.

As for _him_, he'd played both of them. But, he hadn't won in the end and that was all that mattered. They were still together and still madly in love. As she was sure they would always be. Jane kept reminding her in so many ways.

"I'm glad you finally believe me. Anything going through my head at the moment has nothing to do with how I feel about you or us or these." He lightly rubbed his hand across her belly resisting the urge to do a happy little dance that it wouldn't be that long before he was holding his babies in his hands. "It's the last of the ghosts being laid to rest." Jane answered as honestly as he could.

He didn't quite know how to explain it. That he was in the ending stages of his redemption. While Lisbon had certainly played into the final exorcisms, his love for her and their offspring didn't.

"How do you feel about this?" He brushed his lips against her neck smirking at the slight smile twitching of her lips at the tickling sensation.

"We're only thirty-four weeks." That was as close as Lisbon would come to admitting she was scared witless that something might go terribly wrong.

"We're almost thirty-five and we've made it close to four weeks longer than we should have given what happened so I'd say we're doing well." Jane knew he was splitting hairs; but, if splitting hairs comforted his wife he'd split a many of the annoying suckers as he needed to.

Besides, reality was simple. They'd made it nearly a month farther than her doctors expected and a couple of weeks less than ideal. Forget full term. They were having twins. From what he'd discovered, they were skittering pretty darned close to the healthy zone and that was good enough for him. He was sure everything was going to be fine as long as Lisbon didn't panic and she didn't seem to be. Besides, their babies were more on the larger side than the smaller so that had to be a good thing in spite of her troubles.

"Yeah, I think so. Why don't you tell the team while I put my blanket away and get my jacket? We can swing by Minelli's office on the way out." Lisbon said as she folded the lightweight dark green blanket she'd used when she'd caught a chill earlier. Putting it back into the plastic zipper pouch, she shoved the whole thing into her bottom file cabinet drawer before putting the file she'd been reading away in its proper place. While she knew Jane was watching her every move, he was far to wise to make a move to help her. "Are you still here? Go. Now."

Watching Lisbon puttering about gathering her things, Jane turned on his heels to saunter down to the bullpen where he knew Van Pelt was flirting with some FBI Agent on the phone, Rigsby was stuffing his face with homemade lasagna, and Cho was finishing up his notes on a recently closed case. At least that was what they'd all been doing when he'd passed through a few minutes ago on his way to join Lisbon. What they were doing now he didn't have a clue.

"What's up, Jane?" Rigsby said around a mouth full of meat sauce, pasta, and cheese.

"We're in labor." Jane said to no one in particular.

"That's nice." Rigsby said as he crammed another bite of lasagna in his mouth.

"Wait a minute. I gotta go." Van Pelt hung up the phone. "What did you just say, Jane?"

"I said that we're in labor." Jane repeated. "According to my wife, we've been in labor most of the morning."

"You aren't in labor." Cho corrected him. "Lisbon is."

"If you believe that, Cho, you don't know anything about pregnant women." Lisbon said as she came up behind Jane to duck under his arm. "I fully intend that Jane here is going to share every single pain."

Somehow, from the look in her eyes, her team didn't doubt it.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to let Minelli know what's going on." Jane said as wrapped his arm around Lisbon's waist.

"Oh, and one more thing, you'd better not leave until you've done all the closed case notes on those last two cases." Lisbon said knowing her team much too well. They'd be beating a path out of the CBI for the hospital before her back was turned. It wouldn't surprise her if they got to the hospital before she did and that so wasn't going to happen. "Got it, Cho."

"Yes, Boss." Cho said obediently knowing they'd wait a good ten minutes after Van Pelt saw Lisbon's SUV pull out of the lot before they'd be following suit.

Lisbon's final, "I mean it." floated over her shoulder as Jane guided her down the hall.

Snickering softly to herself as she stuck her head into her Boss's office, Lisbon couldn't believe how obliviuos the man was when he was reading a file.

"Hey, Minelli, wanna go hang out at the Medical Center while some babies are born?" Lisbon said quietly from the doorway smirking slightly at the way her boss's head snapped up from the document he was reading.

"What?" Minelli wasn't sure he'd heard her right as his favorite protégée appeared much too calm for what he thought she'd said.

"I said, wanna go hang out while some babies are born?" Lisbon repeated softly with a gleam in her eyes.

"Where's that husband of yours?" Minelli rose to his feet. "Shouldn't he be taking you to the hospital or something?"

"Don't get your knickers in a knot, Virgil." Jane placed his hands gently on Lisbon's shoulders as he added his own smirk to the mix. "That husband of hers is waiting to take her to the hospital as soon as she's ready to go."

"Yeah, well, I suggest you get a move on." Minelli patted Lisbon's hand as he made his suggestion.

"What's the rush? I'd say we've got hours yet." Lisbon patted his hand back deciding her mentor needed the comforting more than she did.

"I wouldn't count on that." Minelli cast a telling look in Jane's direction.

"You may be right." Lisbon agreed quietly deciding this last pang going unnoticed by the two Alpha Males engaged in eyeball dueling was both stronger, longer, and closer together than the one that had come before. "If you two are done with the pissing contest, I think we need to get a move on, Jane. I'm starting to think I may be wrong and Minelli may be right if you get my drift."

She still thought she had hours to go, or she hoped she did; but, she wasn't standing around while Jane established dominance in a situation where he was already the Alpha Male. Men. They could be so ridiculous at the most inconvenient times. She shouldn't expect any better considering who her babies' father was. But, ever the eternal optimist, she did.

"We'll see you at the hospital. Someone will give you a call when it's almost time." Lisbon said as Jane casually draped his arm over her shoulder again seriously doubting anyone would have to give Minelli a call.

If she didn't miss her guess, the man would be right behind her and her team in getting to the hospital calling Mae along the way. And, like any good granddad, he'd be right there until her babies were born. It was a good thing they didn't have an active case at the moment. Only a couple of cold cases being sent over by the locals for review and they'd hold until they could get back to them.

###

Pulling the SUV up to the Admissions entrance, Jane killed the engine and dropped onto the sidewalk. Closing his door he walked around the hood of the vehicle to open Lisbon's door. Looking behind him, he noticed the familiar nurse bearing the wheel chair and knew instinctively that she was waiting for them. If she hadn't been, she would have been an orderly instead.

Her appearance wasn't as unexpected as it might seem as they'd called Emily on the way to the hospital to let her know Lisbon was in labor. Or rather Lisbon had called and gotten read the riot act for her trouble. It seems she should have notified Dr. Youst the minute her contractions started which made perfect sense in the big scheme of things. His wife had obviuosly felt differently. If she hadn't, he'd have known their babies were making a bid for freedom long before he had.

Reaching up, he pulled Lisbon from the seat and sat her in the wheel chair before she uttered the first protest that she could walk. Her contractions had gotten steadily stronger and closer together on the trip across town. A trip that should have taken all of twenty minutes on a good day; but, had taken closer to forty-five thanks to inexplicable congestion not usually present this time of day. The universe was already conspiring against them in subtle ways.

"Hello, Abby." Jane said as he reached for Lisbon's hand not at all surprised by the way she suddenly gripped his fingers.

"Hello, Patrick." Lisbon quirked a brow at the easy familiarity between her husband and the pretty nurse.

"Teresa, this is Nurse Abby. She's a member of Emily's team and your number one fan, remember? I introduced the two of you soon after we got you to the Emergency Room; but, I'm not sure you remember. Abby got me past your doctors so I was able to spend those first few hours holding your hand. We owe her a huge thanks for that." Jane explained softly.

"You're _that_ Abby?" Lisbon asked as the nurse pushed her chair down the hall.

"I'm that Abby, Agent Lisbon." Abby obviously knew she still went by her maiden name professionally.

"Then I do owe you a big thank you." Lisbon smirked in Jane's direction. "I'm sure he was a royal pain."

"Patrick was actually very good." Abby corrected her. "All he really cared about was getting to you and I was glad to help him. He was far more patient than most husbands while we were doing the paper work."

"Really?" Lisbon looked at Jane. "That's a first."

"He told me quite a few interesting stories while we were working." Abby continued trying to distract Lisbon from the sudden pains making her wince.

"I'm sure he did." Lisbon wasn't sure she liked Jane sharing their life with strangers.

"Nothing we didn't already know from the news." Abby reassured her. "His recollections were just more up close and personal."

Abby rolled Lisbon into a room and hit the wheel lock with her foot. Hesitating, she wasn't surprised when Jane stepped forward to lift the petite brunette up on the bed. He wasn't supposed to do that; but, she wasn't about to try to stop him. She wouldn't dare. Not with the way Lisbon was clinging to his neck as he slid his arms under her knees and scooped her from the chair. Patrick Jane seemed perfectly strong enough to safely maneuver the woman in his arms.

Though she'd seen them together before, Abigail was amazed all over again at the dynamics between the couple. At the way the resilient, tough as nails, independent lady cop relied so heavily on her husband's presence and his help. It was readily apparent that he was the only person she'd freely allow such liberties. As for Jane, only a fool couldn't see the woman he clutched so tightly against his chest was the center of his universe.

Satisfied her patient was safely nestled in the center of the hospital bed, Abby reached for the hated gown.

"You're going to need to change into this." Abby held out the gown to Jane knowing he would be the one to get Lisbon into it. "Dr. Youst will be here any time now."

"I'll take over now." Jane said as he reached for the lapel of Lisbon's jacket.

"I'll see you guys soon." Abby said as she wheeled them out the door leaving Jane to close the curtain and get Lisbon undressed.

"Jane, honestly, I'm fully capable of changing myself." Lisbon swatted his hands away as she pulled her shirt over her head.

"Fine, I'm going to stand over here while you do it." Jane rolled his eyes slightly as he walked over the look out the window hearing clothes rustling behind him.

"I'm done." Lisbon said a few minutes later as she situated herself comfortably beneath the covers.

"I suppose you want me to put all of that away?" Jane shook his head surveying the mess of clothing tangled on the foot of the bed.

"Please." Lisbon watched him hang her suit and blouse in the closet before neatly tucking her bra and panties in a drawer knowing she'd been a bit of a bitch a moment ago.

"Hey, it's okay." Jane said as he sat on the bed beside her. "You're in pain and you're scared."

"Yeah, I suppose I am." Lisbon agreed as she tucked her head against his shoulder as Jane's arm encircled her waist knowing that she wasn't contracting him said everything.

"Everything's going to be all right." Jane reassured her more confidently than he felt.

"No, it's not." Lisbon said. "Emily's going to try to convince me to have an epidural I don't want. She'll want to be prepared to do a c-section if something doesn't go as planned. I don't want a c-section, Jane. I've told you that from the start."

"And I won't let that happen unless we have no other choice." Jane rested his hand against her belly meaning every word.

"Promise?" Lisbon wasn't so sure.

She wasn't so sure he wouldn't give in at the first sign of difficulty.

"Yes, Teresa, I promise." Jane agreed. "Not unless Emily tells me not doing so will be putting any of you in danger."

"Good." Lisbon felt Jane slip from behind her as the door opened to admit Dr. Youst with Abby at her heels.

"Hello, Teresa, what do you say we get this show on the road?' Dr. Youst said as she closed the curtains yet again. "Shoo, Jane, we don't need you hovering about for a few minutes."

Smirking, but refusing to leave the room, Jane ambled back over to look out the window at the people flitting about the parking lot. He tried to ignore the sights and sounds he neither wanted to see or hear. Whatever was going on behind that curtain was none of his business. He'd be experiencing more than he wanted to experience soon enough.

###

Glancing at Lisbon, Jane shook his head. She'd never gained anywhere near what her doctor wanted given her morning sickness though she'd finally hit the twenty plus pound mark at her last appointment. He had to give it to her. She wore the extra pounds well in spite of her small frame. And she and their babies were healthy because she'd always taken good care of herself so he had little to be concerned about there.

The birthing was another matter. He hadn't been enamored of the whole messy process the first time around. He was sure he wouldn't be this time either. But, he would be with Lisbon through it all as he had been with Angela. She deserved nothing less. Taking his place by her side once again having chosen to briefly stretch his legs, Jane silently took Lisbon's hand pleased when she looked up to smile at him.

He was happy to see her watery smile in spite of the trepidation in her eyes. They'd battled royally with Emily against the dreaded epidural Lisbon didn't want. In spite of the fact Lisbon had made that clear from the start, Dr. Youst felt it would be best to be prepared for the worst in light of recent events. His wife had refused to back down. In the end, they'd decided on alternate medications if an emergency c-section suddenly became necessary.

What they hadn't been able to sway their doctor away from was the reality their babies were going to be born in room set up for c-sections and not in one of the more pleasant birthing chambers. Emily was adamant about that and Lisbon had finally given in to her common sense. Personally, Jane didn't care whether his offspring was born as long as they were healthy.

What he did know, from Emily's actions and Lisbon's reactions, was that they were getting ever closer to the main event. Oh, and he knew this was the most surreal birthing room he'd ever been in. It was much too quiet. Forget any crap he'd ever seen on television with all the moaning, screaming, and talking. Forget his experience with Angela. Lisbon was determined to be as tough to the end as she'd been when O'Laughlin shot her.

She'd barely made a sound so far other than some heavy breathing, a few moans when the pain overwhelmed her, and a whole lot of blue streak cussing aimed his way. She'd not done much more when Emily was forced to maneuver their first born into a more compatible position for delivery a while ago though he'd known none of that was pleasant.

"All right, Teresa, you know what to do when I tell you." Emily said without looking up confident her patient would do as she was told.

Ignoring Lisbon's gutteral, "Jane, you are so dead," Jane leaned over to watch what he knew instinctively was his son slowly entering the world.

While undeniably nasty, watching his child slide so perfectly into Emily's waiting hands was undeniably beautiful as well.

Awestruck, Jane wasn't sure how he felt as their son was placed across Lisbon's belly exactly as he'd expected. Finally smiling, he decided Patrick was all Jane as his boy was quickly letting them know, that while getting wiped down was necessary, he didn't have to like it. And, he obviously didn't. But, from his reaction, he did like the feel of his mommy's soft skin beneath him and the warmth of the snuggly blanket engulfing him. Oh, and he really didn't seem to mind that soft blue cap angled jauntily on his head either. Or the touch of his mother's finger.

However, all that other stuff they were doing to him was a different matter as his indignant wail was saying.

"He's beautiful, Teresa." Jane decided that wasn't an inappropriate term for a boy as his son was certainly a handsome lad. Stroking Patrick's back, he forced himself to snip the umbilical cord between the two clamps in spite of his personal misgivings. While initially not sure that was something he really wanted to do given the squeamish factor, Lisbon had quickly convinced him otherwise. All it had taken was her snapped, "Do it, Jane, and do it now." to get his somewhat gobsmacked compliance a few moments ago. "A little scrunch faced; but considering what he's been through, we couldn't expect any differently."

"Shush, you. He's perfect." Lisbon corrected him as she reached out to caress her son's cheek far more composed than he thought she should be after what she'd so recently been through.

"Yes, he is." Jane agreed as he watched Patrick being swept away and knew Aislinn was coming soon.

Or Emily thought she was from whatever she was seeing down there.

"I think that was my cue it's getting time to do all of this again." Lisbon tried to make light of the indignities she was suffering in front of her man. That and the fact her daughter had yet to enter the world and she was scared witless. Until her daughter was in her arms, there was still a lot that could go wrong.

She'd already discovered that with her son. Patrick was pure Jane as he'd wanted to enter the world his way which wasn't in quite the proper position for making his exit. Fortunately, like his father, with some feminine persuasion of the physical kind, he'd fallen quickly into line. They'd been lucky that Emily was able to maneuver him into place with very little effort. Now, Lisbon could only hope her daughter would cooperate as easily.

"I would say it is; but, perhaps that's a good thing as we're both ready to meet our daughter." Jane agreed feeling butterflies in his stomach.

While he'd been overjoyed to greet his son, he wasn't sure how he was going to react holding his daughter. That he'd love her was a given. The other feelings he might have as well were the question.

"Yes, we are." Lisbon agreed.

"If she's half as lovely as you, I'd say you've done well." Jane squeezed her hand not relishing a repeat performance of their son's birth.

Being the stoic law enforcement officer, Lisbon had handled Patrick's birth well considering it hadn't been all smooth sailing and she'd endured a lot of pain. Him, less so as he'd not liked seeing her suffering or knowing he'd help put her there. Some of her coping mechanisms he could have done without. His right hand would never be the same again…and some of the words passing her lips he'd expect to hear from the more seasoned carnies on the circuit. Not his cute as a button, petite, professional wife.

"_We've_ done well." Lisbon corrected him.

"I didn't have to carry either them or bring them into the world." Jane reminded her.

"No, you just had to love us and keep us safe from a psycho or we'd never have made it to this point. I'd say that's enough to qualify as a 'we'." Lisbon continued ignoring the unrepentant staff clinging to their every word.

A staff intent on quickly spreading the word Sacramento's "Romance of the Decade" was hardly empty PR spin. The Janes quite obviously loved each other deeply. They couldn't keep their hands off each other even at a time like this.

They'd recognized the handsome blonde haired father-to-be and the cute little scrappy mom-to-be without ever reading their names on the file. They were fairly well known thanks to events of the past year or so and even more so due to the happenings of the past few weeks.

The news had hinted at the probability Mrs. Jane had been involved with the serial killer who'd tried to kill her. The same one who'd killed her husband's family. If that was true, it was apparent Patrick Jane wasn't holding any of that against her. While he'd beamed as proud as a peacock at the birth of his son and they'd spent quite a while reassuring him all was well with his boy, his focus had been on his wife. It was clear the man was crazy about her and his main focus was getting her through the birth of their children safely. The staff was sure, once that was done that he'd take time to revel in being a father. As he'd come too close to losing everything a second time around he couldn't react any differently.

Watching Lisbon breathing through the pain and obediently following Emily's quiet orders, Jane wasn't all that surprised a few minutes later to watch his daughter sliding rather juicily into the world. Unlike her brother, she'd not seen fit to cause the slightest of problems choosing instead to gaze in her father's direction through her mother's eyes before finding herself resting comfortably on her mommy's tummy as her brother had before her.

Reaching out to touch his daughter's cheek with trembling fingers, Jane felt Lisbon grip his other hand as she ignored the tears in his eyes. Whatever he'd expected to feel, it wasn't this powerful mixture of sadness, joy, and love. Sadness for what he'd lost, joy over what he'd gained, and as profound a love as he felt for her mother and brother. Whatever fears and doubts he'd still had lurking in the darkest crevices of his mind were finally laid to rest.

While he could never replace Charlotte Anne, nor would he ever want to, he now knew he had as much room in his heart for this second daughter as he'd had for the first.

###

"It's over." Cho said as he watched Jane enter the waiting room looking the worse for wear.

"We're now the proud owners of one five pound nine ounce squalling squished face Baby Jane of the male persuasion and another five pound six ounce Baby Jane of the female persuasion." Jane announced without ceremony. "They're perfectly healthy and a bit larger than expected all things considered."

"The Boss?" Van Pelt asked.

"Other than grateful she was mostly baby and other less appealing bits of tissue and gore, resting comfortably."

Jane said graphically still traumatized by all he'd seen and heard from the sight of their squalling, goop covered son being plopped across Lisbon's abdomen to the emergence of their equally slimy daughter a short while later.

Added to that, he'd known Lisbon had a salty mouth at times; but, some of those words he'd never expected to pass her lips. Not in reference to him anyway. On second thought, he suspected she'd only say some of them in reference to him. And she'd probably been saying them mentally for years. He'd gotten quite the education.

"The experience was more draining than either of us anticipated so they're going to keep her a few extra days to make sure she's recovering well from all of the shocks of the past few weeks." Jane looked from one expectant face to the other knowing he would never tell them exactly how hard it had really been.

While never necessarily life threatening for either Lisbon or their babies, their recent traumas had certainly made her delivery more difficult, and substantially more painful, than it should have been. There had been moments of concern crossing Emily's face watching the monitors that Jane had noted and Lisbon had mercifully missed. She'd had enough on her plate without adding to her fears. A part of Jane had wanted nothing more than a good ten minutes in a locked interrogation room with a certain billionaire. He'd tear him limb from limb with his bare hands.

"The only consolation is it should be easier the next time around."

"Honestly, Jane, she's just had two and you're already talking about another?" Van Pelt said with mild disgust deciding his response was totally masculine.

"Not me, Grace. After the past few hours, I wouldn't care if we never had another." Jane answered honestly.

The whole birthing experience had been longer, messier, and far more painful for Lisbon than he remembered from before times two…Not at all his cup of tea even if he appreciated the end results even more than anticipated. She'd suffered entirely too much for his tastes.

"The Boss?" Van Pelt stared at him dubiously.

"She took one look at Patrick and Aislinn, declared they were worth it, and let me know in no uncertain terms she wanted another when we'd sufficiently recovered from this go round." Jane looked each team member in the eyes before making his final declaration. "As you already know, whatever Teresa wants she will certainly get."

Something he would continue to prove over and over again.

As none of her desires were ever unreasonable, he could certainly make them happen…even giving her another child or two. He wasn't the one who had to carry them and bring them into the world. Lisbon did. And if she was willing to go through such misery again, he was willing to nurture her through it. All she had to do was say the word.

Until that day came, they'd enjoy the two they had.

"You're a good man, Patrick Jane." Van Pelt said quietly.

"Hardly a good man. Maybe a step or two closer than I've ever been." Jane corrected her. "But hardly a good man."

"Well, I think you are." Van Pelt repeated.

"On that note, I need to get back to Lisbon." Jane said as he quietly dismissed himself and headed in the opposite direction from his wife's room.

As Lisbon was resting quietly she didn't need to be disturbed and he needed a little down time to deal with recent events.

As impossible as it seemed with the chaos of the past few weeks; the day had ended on a far more exciting note than he'd anticipated when he'd climbed out of bed this morning.

###

"I thought I might find you here." Minelli walked up behind where Jane was staring at his son and daughter through the nursery window.

"I was in the chapel for a while." Jane reluctantly admitted.

"The last place any of us would think to look." Minelli studied his "grandchildren" deciding Aislinn was going to look like her mother while Patrick was definitely all Jane though his hair would probably end up being as dark as Lisbon's before he was done.

If he'd ever had any doubts about how he felt about Lisbon, gazing at her daughter gave clarity to his feelings that had always been missing. He'd been accused more than once over the years of being much too fond of his Agent. Not in a sordid, sexual way; but, more of a much too lenient surrogate father handling a headstrong daughter. He supposed that was true at times. He certainly felt like he was staring at his grandchildren.

He was looking forward to watching Aislinn grow into a remarkable woman like her mother and to Patrick becoming an equally remarkable man. He wouldn't say a remarkable man like Jane because, God help him, he didn't think the world would survive another helping of that kind of remarkability. He knew he wouldn't. But, he'd say a remarkable man and leave it like that. Lisbon would see to it before she was done.

"Lisbon seems to find comfort there." Jane said placing his palm against the window deciding his babies were adorable if a little squished face which wasn't unexpected considering their entrance into the world wasn't as easy as he'd hoped it would be.

"What about you?" Minelli asked bluntly.

"Not so much." Jane admitted. "I tend to find my comfort in Lisbon. I always have."

"How are you handling everything now that most of the excitement is over?" Minelli dared to ask.

"I'll tell you like I told Cho." Jane said looking him straight in the eyes. "All that matters is I got the girl and I'm keeping her."

"Good answer." Minelli agreed.

"The only answer I should say." Jane confirmed.

"Smart man." Minelli smiled slightly deciding, as much of a pain in the ass as Jane was, he really, really liked the man. He always had. Then again, he'd better. Lisbon was married to him. "The only real question I see is what you're going to do now that the chase is over?"

"What I've done every day for the past however many years, I'm going to solve cases. When that's done, I'm going home with the woman I love and we're going to live. If I'm very lucky, we'll add another baby or two to that family she never knew she wanted and I never thought to have. All in all, I'd say I'm going to be a very happy man." Jane answered honestly.

"Sounds like a plan." Minelli agreed.

"Think you can handle another Baby Jane or two in the brood?" Jane asked with a knowing smirk.

"If that's what Lisbon wants." Minelli smiled at the totally insane thought of a house full of Baby Janes. Talk about a circus. He wasn't even going there. "I'm not the one who's got to raise them. And, trust me, Jane, while I'll certainly enjoy the time Mae and I spend with your babies, I'll have no problem giving them back when the fun is over." Truthfully, he and Mae couldn't wait to get their hands on the little ones.

At the appropriate time, they'd already planned on offering to keep Aislinn and Patrick for a few days so Lisbon and Jane could have that honeymoon they'd never gotten. Somehow, neither of them expected to be turned down. Not after the past few months.

"Speaking of giving them back, want to hold some babies?" Jane asked. "Abby told me they'd be taking those two to see Lisbon in, oh, the next fifteen minutes or so according to my watch."

"What do you think your wife will say about that?" Minelli wasn't sure Lisbon would be all that happy with sharing her newest additions with anyone.

"Considering she's starting to look at them like they're two headed aliens, she'd probably appreciate the help." Jane laughed at how overwhelmed Lisbon already was now that the reality there was two of them had finally set in and they hadn't even left the hospital.

He didn't want to imagine what it was going to be like once they were home. Then again, he wasn't all that worried. The way the team was hovering around the waiting room and the nursery, he had a feeling they already had three built in babysitters. Not to mention Minelli and Mae.

"Lisbon is good with children." Minelli countered finding Jane's remark ridiculous and slightly insulting.

Lisbon was a very capable woman.

"Yes, she is; but, Patrick and Aislinn aren't children. They're babies and we have two of them." Jane reminded him knowing he knew things Minelli didn't.

Lisbon had yet to feel that she'd mastered the art of breastfeeding without all of the rest which was driving her positively insane.

"I suppose I can see where that would be overwhelming." Especially if they took after Jane.

"So, what do you say?" Jane asked. "You want to go hold some babies?"

"Yeah, Jane, I think I do." Minelli agreed casting one last look at Aislinn.

He might as well get some practice in. He had a feeling he'd be doing a lot of that in the coming years. Mae had taken an immediate shine to Patrick and, him, well, he'd fallen hard for Jane's baby girl. There was just something about Lisbon's daughter that made him all gooey inside.


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: I've gotten sloppy with the thank you's to my guest reviewers the last couple of chapters. Thank you for the reviews. Your time and effort are always greatly appreciated. ~Calla

###

Moving about the kitchen, Lisbon steeped two cups of tea. Jane's regular blend in one and the strengthening herbal tea he insisted she drink a couple of times a day in the other. Not that he had to nag her or she was complaining. Not all that much anyways. Her tea was absolutely delicious thanks to hibiscus flower and rose hips. As much as she hated to admit it, he might make a regular tea drinker out of her yet. At least she'd find the beverage tolerable if nothing else. Discarding the leaves in the trash can beneath the sink and carrying the prepared cups across the kitchen, Lisbon didn't have to ask what Jane was doing.

She already knew.

Fiddling with the stinking baby monitors for the twentieth time since he'd come downstairs ten minutes ago freshly showered and dressed.

And looking mighty fine if she said so herself.

It had taken all of her self-restraint not to molest him when Jane had sidled over to give her a frisky good morning kiss.

Shaking her head, Lisbon decided all the canoodling without any action was starting to get to both of them.

Turning her attention back to what Jane was doing and away from the man himself, Lisbon smirked as she gently pushed his cup of tea across the breakfast bar counter. The man took over protective to the extreme and she loved him for it. She'd been upstairs not ten minutes ago to check on Patrick and Aislinn not at all surprised by what she'd found. They were snuggled down in their matching bunny finial festooned cribs giving their mommy a run for her money in the drooling department and their dad a run in the making funny faces in their sleep department. It seemed their Baby Janes had inherited the worst sleeping habits of both their parents. In spite of that, from the soft, snuffling noises coming over the monitors, she'd say the twins were still soundly snoozing.

Walking around the counter with her cup in hand, Lisbon settled in the chair beside Jane. They'd fallen into a comfortable pattern over the three weeks she'd been home from the hospital and the month since the twins were born. They'd also greatly simplified their lives and it made all the difference in the world. After showering and dressing for the day, they shared their morning cups of tea and pastries in the calm before the storm every morning without fail.

They'd quickly learned those few sane moments of peace and the quiet connection they shared before their offspring awoke happily grounded the rest of their day. No matter what happened from there. It was something they'd decided to attempt before Aislinn and Patrick were ever born and they'd stuck to their plan from day one. It seemed to be paying off wonderfully. To Jane's credit, he'd even brought tea and pastries to her hospital room that first week she'd not been allowed to come home. Liesle hadn't minded his leaving for an hour or two once she'd arrived to take care of the babies. She truly hadn't.

Not getting to go home with the rest of her family had been the only drawback to the whole birthing experience that Lisbon still regretted.

She'd missed out on most of the first week of her babies lives.

While the twins had gone home from the hospital with their daddy within a couple of days, she'd been kept those extra few days with Jane's blessing and her cooperation. As nuts as she'd been over being separated from her newborns; she'd been sane enough to realize her doctors' would never have demanded such a thing if it weren't for the best.

Lisbon now appreciated Emily's wisdom in forcing her to take those extra few days to heal and recover her strength. Physically, she'd been in worse shape than she realized. Mentally, she'd not been much better. As much as she hated to admit, her doctor had known best. Besides, it wasn't like Jane hadn't bundled them up and brought their munchkins to see their Mommy every day.

Now, the only problem she could see with being home nesting was she was going pleasantly stir crazy in other ways. She missed working cases. She missed her team. She missed Minelli. If she were honest, she probably missed Bertram as well. And she certainly missed working with Jane. He'd been back at the CBI a good three weeks as she would be in a week solving actual cases.

Lisbon had to hand it to him though for having more daring than sense under the circumstances. He'd driven a hard bargain to get his nose back to the grindstone before he was ready. And he'd been firm about it. Before his eventual return to the fold, Jane had forced Bertram and Minelli to make a few concessions to his recent fatherhood and they'd agreed without much of a fight beginning with the fact he went in later and came home earlier most days as long as the case permitted.

And he got to have lunch at home with his family. Poor Lisbon was home alone with not one, but two, Baby Janes and that just wouldn't do. She needed his stalwart presence. Oh, and his two extra hands. His terms were non-negotiable as he knew Bertram had a high profile case at the time that needed solving yesterday.

Needless to say, Jane gotten his terms and he'd solved the case exactly as was expected of him.

And that was the way it was supposed to be.

Actually, that was the way it had always been.

Nearly a month later Jane still pretty much came and went as he pleased and no one said a thing…even though he rarely put in a half a day.

He was getting the job done.

All that really mattered in the end was their Mentalist was solving cases like a fiend and mercifully staying out of serious trouble which was miraculous for Jane.

Especially given there was no Lisbon in sight.

As for that whole poor Lisbon being home alone with two Baby Janes malarkey, Minelli had called him on that one immediately. He knew darned well his wife was over there every day when she wasn't working and sometimes when she should be. So, Lisbon was hardly alone even if she hadn't had that respectable, middle-aged temporary daytime nanny Jane had hired to give her a hand until she was back at work.

After that, the twins were already enrolled in a top notch day care when the day finally rolled around for both of their parents to report to the CBI. And they'd still have Liesle taking picking them up at three and taking care of them every night until their parents finally made it home.

Studying her husband over the top of her cup, Lisbon steeled herself to say the words Jane didn't want to hear.

"Teresa, spill it." Jane said as he took a sip from his cup. "All that thinking is disturbing my tea."

"I want to go out to the prison this afternoon." Lisbon said quietly. "I think it's time and I heard something through the grapevine that they're talking about moving…him…to a different maximum security prison. He'll be over three hours away."

"Time for what?" Jane asked. "You don't honestly expect to get any answers do you?"

"Probably not." While her husband was most likely right, Lisbon wasn't giving in without a fight. "But, I'll never know if I don't try. If I don't ask him the things I want to know."

"I don't suppose you will." Jane reluctantly agreed not wanting Lisbon within a hundred feet of the monster.

"So you'll go with me?" Lisbon asked.

"You certainly aren't going alone." Jane sat his cup firmly on his saucer. "And you aren't seeing him alone either.

Jane had already visited his nemesis several times over the last few weeks without feeling he'd made any forward progress.

"Fine." Lisbon agreed knowing she didn't really have a choice in the matter as she knew her husband was going to be by her side or she wouldn't be going.

"I'll leave work a couple of hours early." Jane said. "Be ready by two. I'll have the case wrapped up by then."

"I can do that." Lisbon agreed. "Aislinn and Patrick will be down for their naps so Liesle can handle anything that might come up alone."

Who was she fooling? Liesle could handle those two when they were wide awake and as full of piss and vinegar as they come. She'd raised twins of her own without any help so she knew what to expect. The woman was literally a godsend and Jane was the best Dad in the world for finding her. Lisbon knew she was a very lucky woman on a lot of counts not the least of them that Jane wasn't fighting her on visiting Red John when he so easily could have. She was blessed that he'd chosen to be supportive instead.

"I'll see you then." Jane rose to his feet prepared to carry his cup and saucer over to the dishwasher.

"Jane, I don't want to stir things up." Lisbon said quietly knowing that while she needed to confront Red John and lay those ghosts to rest, she hated the disquiet her desire to do so was causing in her relationship with Jane. "I really don't."

"You aren't." Jane said. "While it won't be pleasant, we can certainly handle one prison visit if that's what you want to do."

"Are you sure?" Lisbon searched his eyes for the truth.

"I'm sure. Surely you know my biggest concern is him hurting you again. Beyond that, I really don't care if you see him or not. You already know there's nothing he can do to us or our marriage. I couldn't care less about any meaningless venom he might spew. There's nothing he can say I don't already know. "

Correction, there was nothing Red John was willing to say Jane didn't already know. There was plenty he _could _say the Mentalist didn't know. Unfortunately, those things would tend to incriminate Red John in ways he would never allow to happen.

Jane had accepted long ago that his nemesis was never going to tell the truly important things. He'd never spill precisely where Jane's father was buried or how many people he'd actually killed or where he'd killed them or the other alias he'd used over the years or where he'd used them. Not going to happen.

They'd never get the kinds of specifics no one could know but the perpetrator himself.

The D.A. could kiss that fantasy wish list good bye.

"You really mean that?" Lisbon grabbed both of their cups and walked them to the sink.

"Yes, I do." Jane shook his head as he watched her walk back to stand in front of him. "He almost killed you, Teresa. He almost killed our babies. He came much too close to taking all of you away from me. I'm not willing to give him another chance.

That's all I care about."

"That's never going to happen." Lisbon said.

"No, it isn't." Jane agreed.

Even if that meant he angered her by forbidding her visit to Red John. However, they both knew he wasn't going to do that. He'd go with her instead.

"Neither will I." Lisbon said.

"Good." Jane dropped a kiss on her lips. "I need to go as I'm already late. Besides, the sooner I get that scheming tart in jail the sooner we can get this unpleasant business over with and spend some quality time together."

"Scheming tart?" Lisbon quirked a brow at him not sure she'd heard about this case.

"Definitely a scheming tart any way you look at her." Jane said. "I'll tell you about it on the way to the prison. Tabitha Hollander makes Erica Flynn look like a saint."

"I'll take your word for it." Lisbon said as she straightened his coat. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"Yes, you will." Dropping one last kiss on Lisbon's lips, Jane walked out the door with a final glance and a short wave.

He really didn't want to go into the office today and he wouldn't if he didn't have to.

Or if he didn't know Lisbon would make him.

Jane decided he needed to enjoy breaking all the rules while he could.

The little woman was so going to kick his sorry butt back in shape when she got back to the office.

And, man, was he looking forward to it.

###

Flashing her badge and following the officer down the hall towards the interview rooms, Lisbon felt the walls begin to close in on her. It was one thing to contemplate facing Red John and another entirely to do it. The last time she'd faced him down, the monster had been plunging a knife into her… Her scars were burning.

Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs, Lisbon decided while she was far from a coward; she was starting to feel like one. She wasn't sure she could do this. She honestly wasn't. She was starting to feel like another few steps was all it was going to take for her to completely humiliate herself. She was already starting to visibly tremble.

The memories were still too fresh.

"I've got this." Jane said quietly as he took in the sweat dotting her brow. "They're bringing him into that private interview room over there. You can listen to everything in the observation room. I'll make sure I ask what you want to know."

Staring at Jane, Lisbon wasn't all that surprised when he answered the question in her eyes.

"It's already arranged." He informed her in tones too soft to be overheard.

"You already knew I wouldn't be able to do it." She should have expected something like this.

Jane knew her much too well.

"I suspected you might not be able to." Jane leaned over to kiss her forehead not caring who saw him offer the small gesture of comfort. "It's too soon for all of this, Teresa. Your wounds haven't even fully healed."

Gently patting her back, Jane watched the guards watching them without censor; but, with definite interest and understanding. He knew it was no secret they were married or what they'd so recently been through. He seriously doubted anyone would have cared if he'd kissed Lisbon on the lips. Well, anyone but Lisbon so he wasn't going there.

"Why don't you get situated?" Jane urged her in the direction of a door. "He's already waiting."

Watching Lisbon head for the observation room, Jane walked through the door being held open for him. There would be an officer in the room as well as a video recording their session. He seriously doubted he'd get anything from the ghoul looking at him through Walter Mashburn's eyes. Taking a look at the man's slight smirk as he took his chair, Jane realized he was getting seriously pissed at his attitude already.

"She's mine now." Jane said quietly. "There's nothing you can do to change that."

"She was yours then." A brow arched in disbelief at Jane's stupidity. "You just weren't man enough to accept the truth back then. Or strong enough to let go of the past and claim her. You hadn't gotten to that point yet. The game was still more important. Frankly, I'm rather surprised you've done it now."

Jane ignored that last remark. As if he'd turn his back on Lisbon once they'd crossed that line… even without the Baby Janes. That wasn't going to happen.

It said a lot about the man sitting across from him that he'd thought he might and none of it was complimentary.

"If you knew how I felt, why did you do it?" Jane asked quietly more for Lisbon than himself as he already knew the answer.

Lisbon knew the answer as well; but, being a woman she needed to hear the words.

"Teresa had had enough of your foolishness. She was hurting and you were playing juvenile mind games pushing us together. I just took you up on your offer and she agreed to play along. I think some part of her had already decided I was as close to you as she was ever going to get so what the hell. Besides, the attraction was there. Why deny it?

If you hadn't known that as well, you wouldn't have reacted as you did. You suspected I'd make a play for her; but, you never thought she'd take me up on the offer. You made one of your most serious miscalculations when you underestimated your boss. When you thought she'd retreat instead of rising to the challenge.

That wasn't what happened was it?

I made the play and she accepted the pass. Oh, and you're exactly right. I would have kept her around for as long as she was willing to stay. Teresa is a truly fascinating woman…Far too good for the likes of you. As you also know, she turned my second offer down."

"Yes, she is and she did." Jane said privately convinced Lisbon had sensed something off in the man all along even if she hadn't realized it. Not enough off to not have slept with him in the first place; but, obviously enough off not to repeat the experience. "You know she wouldn't have turned."

"No, she wouldn't have and I wouldn't have tried." Walter said quietly relaxing his Red John persona. "She's neither weak enough nor dark enough to fall under my persuasions. I would have simply enjoyed Teresa's company for a season before we went our separate ways.

But, it didn't work out that way.

Besides, it was far more entertaining to watch you two keep tearing each other apart without ever realizing what you were doing to each other. I started thinking perhaps I was wrong and you'd never get together. That you were both too damaged to see what was right in front of your faces. You truly surprised me when you survived Lorelei. I'd almost decided I'd never get my final revenge when Rafferty came along."

"What was in it for you beyond the final kill?" Jane asked. "Why seduce Lisbon in the first place? What was the real reason for taking advantage of her that way?"

"What do you think?" Red John leaned across the table. "Besides the fact she's an attractive woman and an excellent lover, I claimed the only woman you've truly loved since Angela long before you ever figured out what she really meant to you. I showed you how easily you could lose her. In fact, for a while there, you weren't sure you hadn't. Your reaction was caught on video camera at the hotel that night and I saw everything I needed to know.

So, what I got from that point on was the pleasure of anticipating the day you lost her for good.

The day I got to take her away from you."

"You got to anticipate killing Lisbon and my final destruction." Jane said.

"Yes, I did." Red John agreed. "I got to anticipate you seeing that familiar smiley face on your bedroom wall before you ever saw her body as you realized you were much too late again."

"And I almost was." Jane admitted.

"Yes, you were." Red John accepted his admission. "Unfortunately for me, while I'm good, Teresa is better. However, if you hadn't gotten there when you did, I'd still have won."

"But you didn't." Jane said quietly. "So I'd say Check and Mate."

"Yes, Check and Mate." Red John conceded. "You weren't supposed to win."

"No, I don't suppose I was." Jane agreed. "But there was no way you could come out on top in the end."

"Why's that?" Red John asked as he stared nonchalantly at his fingernails as though none of this mattered anymore which, in the big scheme of things, it really didn't.

"Because as much as you like to think differently, you're only human and you were going to make a mistake one day." Jane said quietly. "When you did, I was going to be there to catch you."

Deciding while things hadn't gone down exactly like that in real life, who really cared? All that mattered in the end was a monster was behind bars and Lisbon had her answers. Whether they had enough evidence to put that needle in Red John's arm remained to be seen.

Whether he did or he didn't, the one thing Jane knew for sure was he'd had enough.

This visit was coming to an end.

Rising to his feet, Jane headed for the door without a backward glance only to stop mid step at Red John's parting shot.

"Tell Teresa I'm thinking about her."

Stumbling slightly, Jane regained his composure as he walked through the opening door determined he would do no such thing. If he was lucky, Lisbon had already left the observation room long before that final remark was made. If he wasn't, well, he'd deal with her reaction later. She'd gotten her answers and that should be enough.

She now knew she'd meant something to a twisted serial killer and, yes, in spite of that, he'd always meant to kill her. While that might be hard to swallow; Lisbon needed to know and now she did. They'd both take comfort in the fact she could sit on that witness stand and help send Red John to his fate without a second thought.

The man was a monster beyond redemption.

He deserved whatever he got.

As far as Jane was concerned, their work was done.

He thought Lisbon might feel the same.

#####

Staring at the open file on her desk, Lisbon watched the words bleeding together while she wondered why she ever thought coming back to work was a good idea in the first place. She almost regretted the last three months away from her Baby Janes. It was the same old same old day in and day out. Just people acting stupid and Jane being Jane getting his butt caught in a sling. Was cleaning up other people's messes really worth all the hours away from her family?

Shaking her head over the ridiculous moment of melancholy, Lisbon knew exactly why she'd come back to work and she didn't regret it. She loved her job and she always had. Being a cop let her know she was giving back. That she was doing her part towards making the world a better place. It was just at moments like this she hated missing her babies' first steps a little more than she enjoyed being Saint Teresa the bad-assed super cop.

Hearing a slight scratching sound, Lisbon looked up to see her previously locked door opening without warning. Leave it to her husband to be a royal pain in the butt and pick her office lock with her present. Honestly, the man was incorrigible to the extreme.

So much for him being where he was supposed to be and doing what he was supposed to be doing. Namely checking in with the daycare to make sure their offspring were doing okay. While not necessary, Jane had taken to dropping in once a day to check on the twins and harmlessly flirt with the caretakers. It seemed his incorrigibility wasn't the only thing he went overboard with.

Protecting his family was another.

"You need to take a long weekend off starting the last Friday of next month." Jane said as he plopped unceremoniously on her couch with his tea cup in hand.

"Jane, honestly, I haven't been back at work for three months. I can't go taking time off again on a whim." Lisbon stomped around her office in disbelief that Jane would ask anything so preposterous so soon although she had every idea why he was doing it.

Besides, he could get the whole ridiculous idea bouncing around in his head out of his thoughts. She'd already told him they were having a simple Vow Renewal when the guys got to town and that was as far as it was going. A couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon...end of story. They were already married with children so anything more was just plain nuts. Embarrassing and disrespectful of the ceremony they'd already been through.

Besides, he knew she'd been on medical leave of one kind or the other for nearly two of the five months since the twins were born. Not to mention all those months they were on the lam in the first place. Didn't he get it? They might have solved every case that crossed her desk since their return in record time and they might be well on the way to solving the flavor of the day still sitting on her desk. They might even have finally caught Red John. But, given everything that had happened in the past year, it was going to take her a good while of focusing on the job to prove herself again. To reassure Bertram and the higher ups that her mind wasn't more on being a wife and mother than it was on being Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon, erm, Jane of the CBI.

She couldn't suddenly drop everything to go traipsing off to the fairgrounds to get _married_!

Again.

The whole idea was preposterous.

"The guys will be in town in a month and we promised them a real carney wedding." Jane reminded her. "They'll only be here two weeks so it's not like we have a lot of time to get it done."

"I'm not having dancing elephants and pygmy goat ring bearers." Lisbon snapped. "As for a wedding dress, you can forget it. As this is a Vow Renewal Ceremony, not an actual Wedding Ceremony, wearing the real deal would be in bad taste. We've already done all of that once."

"It's a carny wedding, Teresa. We don't care what a bunch of marks think. We make our own rules." Jane reminded her casually. "Sammie and Smokey Joe will be devastated if you don't get a real gown like you had before. Only fancier since you aren't trying to disguise a pregnancy that didn't need disguising in the first place.

Besides, as far as the family is concerned, since they never saw us tie the knot, we're still living in sin and procreating illegitimately at will." Jane smiled at her disbelieving snort.

"You can't be serious?" She resisted the urge to throw something at him. "That bunch of heathens is hardly chaste themselves."

She'd lived among them for a good half year. She knew they were a rowdy bunch. She couldn't speak for all carneys; but, she could certainly speak for her bunch…especially the Old Timers. They'd have been a bunch of drinking, wenching, plundering pirates in a by-gone era. She'd swear to that.

"I am and none of that matters." Jane corrected her. "You're still their sweet little Amber. If they only knew the truth about the real Lisbon they'd feel differently." Jane laughed at her snort. "You're probably right. They'd only like you better. There's something about a gun toting woman that makes a man lose all of his common sense." Jane laughed at the thought he'd certainly lost his. "That being said, we promised them a real wedding and that's what they're going to get. Forget your Lisbon refinement and live a little. Go buy something glitz and glam like Amber would wear as they'll expect you to. Get yourself a tiara worthy of a Princess. Do it right and make our friends happy."

"You can't be serious?" Lisbon repeated again. "And, damn it, I'm not dyeing my hair blonde again."

"I am and no one is asking you to." Jane said quietly. "Take Van Pelt with you to the Bridal Shops and find a gown Smokey Joe and the boys will like. It isn't too much to ask considering they welcomed a cop into their midst and protected you until it was safe for us to come home again. Even once they knew. They wouldn't do that for just anyone, Lisbon. In fact, I'm not sure they'd do it for anyone else. In case I need to say it, the carneys care about you. You're family now."

"I guess it's not and I guess I am." Lisbon reluctantly agreed. "I care about them, too."

"It's not." Jane said knowing he was right. "And I know you care about them so show it. Get a beautiful dress and make all of us proud."

"Fine." Lisbon snarked. "I'll do that on Saturday if Van Pelt's free. You can keep the Rollie Pollies without Liesle's help."

"I'll do that." Jane agreed. "We'll have a splendid time."

They didn't need the nanny. He was perfectly capable of handling his two Baby Janes. They loved their Daddy. They truly did.

Lisbon resisted the urge to tell him she was sure he would. Probably much better than she was considering how she felt about shopping. Then again, they called them Rollie Pollies for a reason. They were Baby Janes and they were developing quickly ahead of the curve. Jane would be plenty busy trying to keep the two of them out of trouble as they were now rolling over with gusto. Lisbon seriously doubted it would be another couple of months before those two were crawling and scooting about. She wouldn't put it past her two precious scamps to be taking their first bumbling steps about the coffee table not long after.

On second thought, maybe a nice, calm day of shopping with Van Pelt was just what the doctor ordered.

"Get a ball gown, Lisbon, one with a tight fitting bodice and a full skirt shimmering with plenty of bling." Jane said quietly. "Buy Van Pelt's dress while you're at it."

"Buy Van Pelt's dress while I'm at it?" Lisbon stared him down.

"You can't get married without an attendant." Jane reminded her. "And you might as well get Annie's dress while you're there as well. Cost doesn't matter as they're not paying for them. Get matching shoes and all that other stuff women seem to find necessary. Stop by the cosmetics counter and make a day of it. Put it on the card and I'll take care of the bill when it comes in."

"I suppose you've already talked to Tommy about all of this behind my back?" Lisbon wasn't sure she liked how chummy Jane had gotten with her brothers since their _first_ wedding.

The _real _one without the cotton candy, Funnel cakes, and fried candy bars.

"I suppose I have." Jane informed her. "Tommy's going to drop Annie off about ten and pick her up some time after supper. She can sleep over if he gets a case. It's not like we don't have the room or she's a bother."

Jane was as fond of Annie as Lisbon was. She was equally fond of him and the Baby Janes.

"Sounds like you've got it all worked out." Lisbon said. "What if we get a case?"

"We won't; but, if we do Liesle will be around." Jane calmly informed her. "She can mind the twins with Annie's help."

"Fine. Do I need to ask if you've talked with Rigsby, Van Pelt, and Cho as well?" Lisbon suddenly realized exactly how sneaky Jane had really been.

"What do you think?" Jane agreed. "I had to have my backup ready in case you balked at the whole idea."

"Jane, we're already married." Lisbon reminded him. "I could hardly stand you up at the altar."

"But you could refuse to do things the carney way and give the guys what they want." Exactly what she'd tried to do until she'd realized resistance was futile.

"Fine, I'm outnumbered again." Lisbon gave in resigned to her fate. "You get Rigsby and Cho and I get my girls. It sounds familiar."

"It is." Jane agreed. "Minelli's agreed to give you away again."

"And I suppose he's already agreed to give us that long weekend as well?" Lisbon rolled her eyes at Jane's audacity.

"He thought it was a great idea." Jane confirmed.

"You bastard." Lisbon said resisting the urge to take her shoe off and throw it at him.

"Somehow has to look out for our best interests." Jane said innocently.

"Yeah?" Lisbon asked. "Somehow I don't think you're the right person for that."

"Don't be so difficult." Jane said. "Given how much I know you enjoy shopping, I thought I'd give you a hand."

Reaching behind the couch, Jane removed the rectangle he'd stashed earlier for just this moment. Opening the manila envelope, he pulled out a stack of pages obviously pulled from Bridal magazines. Rising to his feet, he walked over to Lisbon's desk to sit in the chair beside her.

"You can't be serious?" Lisbon asked as she looked at the pages he spread out in front of her.

"Why not?" Jane asked. "I got a package in the mail from Sammie yesterday. These were inside."

He motioned to the papers laid out before them.

"You're trying to tell me the carney's have been perusing Bridal magazines picking out wedding gowns for me?" Lisbon asked wondering when she was going to wake up from the dream she was starting to suspect was a total nightmare.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you." Jane confirmed. "Johan sent this one over." Jane pointed to the beautiful ivory mermaid gown that would accentuate Lisbon's gentle curves becomingly with just the right amount of crystal and rhinestone flowers flowing over the bodice and edging the skirt. "From what I'm seeing, I think he spent entirely too much time lusting after a very attractive woman who wasn't his. That being said, it is a lovely gown that would be quite becoming on you. I think it's worth looking at."

Jane set the page aside without waiting for Lisbon's comment. That she didn't protest his choice was all the acquiescence needed. His wife was more than capable of making her opinion known.

"This one is Wally's choice." Jane held out another page with a beautiful wedding gown with a layered skirt that was clearly not to Lisbon's taste. "While certainly lovely for someone, this is much too frou-frou for my girl although it has to be flattering Wallace sees you that way."

"Yes, it is." Lisbon agreed.

Talk about angry little princesses...put her in that monstrocity and the world would know how angry a princess could get.

As for the other, all she could say was Wally was sweet. Yes, he was nuttier than a drunken squirrel, but undeniably sweet in a harmless way.

"Sammie and Pete sent this one over." Jane pointed to the one shouldered, bejeweled Mikado silk ball gown that would suit Lisbon's slender figure as well as anything. "It's a possibility."

"Yes, it is." Lisbon agreed getting caught up in the beautiful gowns she was seeing and in the time and effort her friends had put into their choices.

"Jake likes this sleek strapless number with the bright crimson trim." Jane held out an A-line strapless gown with pretty crimson beading, crimson trim along the sweetheart necklace, and crimson embroidery detailing the bodice. "Pretty, but not you I don't think."

Shaking her head, Lisbon agreed.

"Last but not least, Stinky and Smokey Joe both think this the perfect gown for you." Jane said quietly as he laid the final page in front of her. "It's another Mikado silk ball gown you should be able to find easily at any large Bridal Shop."

"It's gorgeous." Lisbon picked up the page and studied the wedding gown. "This is the one you like, too."

"I'll like whatever you pick as I did the first time." Jane said quietly not wanting to influence her decision in any way although that gown was his personal favorite among the pages.

"You really mean that don't you?" Lisbon said.

"It's your carney wedding, Teresa, why would I feel any differently?" Jane asked.

"It's _their_ carney wedding." Lisbon corrected him laughing. "We're just along for the ride."

"I think you may be right." Jane agreed. "All we have to do is show up with the attendants and your family. Sammie and the guys are doing the rest."

"You can't be serious." Lisbon was almost afraid to contemplate what Jane was saying.

"I'm perfectly serious." Jane said. "Smokey Joe is officiating. In case you didn't know, he was an Ordained Minister and Notary Public in his other life and he still is though it's a well kept secret."

"As if that matters." Lisbon snorted. "We aren't getting a second marriage license saying we got married six months after the kids were born so all of you can get that thought right out of your heads."

"No, we aren't and they know that." Jane said. "Just let them have their fun. If the kids ever asked they'll know we got married twice in one year…first by a Catholic Priest and then by a Baptist Minister. That should make for interesting conversations with their friends' parents around the dinner table."

"I think having you for a father is interesting enough." Lisbon patted his hand as she took the photographs of the dresses they both liked and slipped the pages in her briefcase.

Those gowns were a good place to start.

"And a lady cop for a mother." Jane added.

"You may be right." Lisbon agreed. "You know, Jane, on second thought, I think having a carney wedding might be fun. It'll certainly be good to see the guys again."

"I think it will on both counts." Leaning over to drop a kiss on her lips, Jane rose reluctantly to his feet. "Now that we've had this pleasant diversion, I need to get back to work. I have a couple of things to do before I can crack this case."

"Just keep your nose clean." Lisbon said as she stood up to walk him to the door.

"I won't make any promises." Jane said. "In the end, all that really matters is that we solve the case, not how many feathers I ruffle along the way."

"God, I hate it when you say things like that." Lisbon opened her door. "I better not have a stack of complaints on my desk tomorrow."

"Would I do that?" Jane asked innocently.

"What do you think?" Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"So I can tell Van Pelt Saturday is on?" Jane asked.

"You might as well." Lisbon said. "If Annie's going to be there by ten, tell Grace to drop by around 9:15 or 9:30. We can have breakfast together."

"I'll do that." Jane waved over his shoulder as he walked away knowing his wife was locking her door behind him.

She needed a little privacy to study those new Bridal Magazines he'd left on her desk earlier.

Shaking his head, Jane decided Lisbon was much too predictable. She wouldn't be able to resist looking at those magazines as much as she knew she ought to be working. Before she was done, she'd be well armed with a list of potential gowns to try on Saturday. After that, she'd turn her undivided thoughts back to the case at hand.

Stopping by Van Pelt's desk, he gave her the update that Saturday was a go much to the amusement of both Rigsby and Cho who weren't expecting anything different. The Boss tended to melt under the onslaught of the full Jane charm. Most women did.

Making his exit, Jane headed for the attic to study the file waiting on his couch.

He was pretty darned sure he'd have the ex-lover in cuffs before the end of the day.

When would idiots learn it's usually not wise to have ex-lovers and ex-spouses as business partners?

Not when you dump them to marry their best friend anyway.

That made for a lot of hard feelings playing out in any number of unsavory ways.

Not the least of them murder.

Plopping down on his comfy couch, Jane smiled at the thought it was just another day around the CBI and he loved it.


	31. Chapter 31

Parking on the left side of the driveway knowing Lisbon's car was garaged on the right, Van Pelt took a moment to gather her thoughts. The idea that her Boss lived in that attractively sprawling house with Jane was still surreal on a lot of levels. Not just for her. The whole team felt that way. They really hadn't seen any of this coming. That there were two adorable monkeys taking after their parents was an even stranger pill to swallow.

However, the Baby Jane's were undeniably cute as a bug's ear. But, their very existence was weird just the same. Somehow, she'd never really pictured the Boss as a mother. Yeah, she was good with kids. They all knew that. If they hadn't, they'd seen her with Hightower's kids and with Annie. But, she'd always seemed married to the job. Well, married to the job and to keeping Jane out of trouble which was a lot different than actually being his wife.

Lisbon had sure fooled them.

In a good way she supposed as the Boss seemed happy.

Not just with her kids, either.

But, married to Jane as well.

Grace got it. Truly, she did. But, then again, she didn't.

There was no denying Jane was good to the Boss. He really was. He clearly doted on her and there was no denying he adored the Baby Janes. That being said, he was still Jane and being Jane meant trouble of one kind or another. He still did outrageous things unrepentantly and Minelli still yelled. Sometimes LaRoche joined in. Just things not quite as crazy as he once had and nothing bad enough to get the Boss suspended or fired. Grace honestly didn't know how Lisbon balanced work Jane with her husband Jane. They were two very different men.

Climbing out of her car, Van Pelt made her way towards the front door not at all surprised when Jane opened it ahead of her knock. The thought he was watching for her was kind of creepy. Or maybe he'd just known she was coming which was equally creepy. Snorting and shaking her head, Grace decided none of that really mattered.

It was Jane.

He'd frequently given her cause for wonder over the years; but, she loved him anyway.

"Morning, Jane." Van Pelt said as she stepped into the foyer.

"Morning, Grace, you're looking as beautiful as ever." Jane locked the door behind her. "Lisbon's in the kitchen getting her morning caffeine and sugar fix and the brats are still asleep."

"Coffee and pastries?" Van Pelt laughed at the eye roll Jane gave her fully understanding Lisbon's fondness for caffeine highs and sugar rushes.

It was the lows and crashes that came after she found the bummer. But, they were cops, and that was how cops rolled. As incredible as she still found her Boss, Lisbon wasn't immune to that rule.

"You know her well." Jane agreed taking her jacket and purse.

"Yeah, I do." Kissing Jane's cheek in thanks, Van Pelt made for the kitchen. "Hey, Boss, leave something for me."

"You got nothing to worry about." Lisbon stuck her head out of the kitchen. "Jane bought enough pastries to feed a small army."

"Oh, man, I see what you mean." Grace laughed at the selection of pastries piled high on the fancy plate by the coffee maker. "He must have thought Rigsby was coming."

She'd just have to eat his Baklava for him.

"Or maybe I just thought you girls could have a 'to hell with the old waistline' kind of day." Jane meandered into the kitchen to finish making his cup of tea. "It's not like I'd complain if Lisbon gained a pound or two."

"I don't think that'll be a problem now that you've made it your project to see that I eat regularly." As far as Lisbon was concerned, her weight was fine.

How Jane felt was another matter.

He didn't like the fact she still wasn't quite back up to her pre-baby weight. What could she say? Between work and her family, she was a busy woman…much too busy some days. It wasn't a secret she frequently forgot to eat. Yet, she was perfectly strong and healthy. If she weren't, Emily would certainly say something as they'd remained good friends over the months since her babies were born. In fact, they managed a quick lunch at least once or twice a month.

Besides, Lisbon admitted she usually wasn't all that hungry anyway. Stress tended to steal her appetite. Today was no exception. She'd had a half-hearted nibble or two of pastry in spite of being well on her way to finishing her second cup of coffee already. Besides, she fully intended to make up for any slacking she'd done earlier in the day when she and Van Pelt went out for dinner later this evening.

They'd also end up stopping to grab Annie's favorite Pretzel before they were done. It wasn't like she wouldn't get a snack somewhere.

"I'm going to check on the babies and shoo so you can visit with Van Pelt." Jane gave Lisbon a kiss as he prepared to disappear before she told him to.

A kiss that was more than a casual peck and less than the sensual promise she usually got first thing in the morning. While still mostly innocent, it was hot enough to gain them a raised eyebrow from their rather amused voyeur.

"Jane, honestly, you're embarrassing Van Pelt." Lisbon scolded lightly although she'd made no move to evade his teasing lips.

"Grace is hardly embarrassed by that smirk on her face." Jane corrected. "Amused and perhaps a little surprised you'd let me kiss you like that with a witness in sight; but, not embarrassed in any way. Besides, Van Pelt's a big girl. She knows there'd never be babies without kisses and we've got two of them."

"Shush, Jane, and get out of here." Lisbon wanted to smack him.

"I'll be out by the pool if you need me." Jane answered Van Pelt's laugh with a conspiring grin of his own.

Watching her pain-in-the-rear spouse grab his cup and head towards the patio, Lisbon knew her cheeks were prettily flushed. She knew as well that she wasn't going there with her Agent. Sliding down in her chair, Lisbon decided that curious gleam in her eye wasn't getting the other woman anywhere.

"Nice kiss." Van Pelt laughed at the answering blush.

"The usual." Lisbon dismissively took a sip of coffee.

"I don't think so." Van Pelt openly giggled at her. "I think it was a lot less than you usually get; but, still enough for a toe-curling 'Wow."

"Shush, Grace." Lisbon growled. "You're crossing that line."

"Yeah, well, somebody's got to say it." Van Pelt gazed longingly at her apple cinnamon doughnut. "From what I just saw, Jane's a really good kisser. You obviously didn't have any complaints. At least nothing other than he dared to do it front of me."

"Yeah, well, you may be right." Lisbon said before she could stop herself. "He's a really good everything."

Van Pelt laughed whole heartedly at that one making her Boss decided maybe embarrassing the hell out of herself was worth it to hear Grace genuinely laugh like she used to. They didn't hear that nearly enough since O'Laughlin. She hadn't had too much to laugh about.

"You're really doing this?" Van Pelt asked as she lifted her cup to her lips not really believing she was sitting at Lisbon's dining table sipping an amazing cup of coffee eagerly anticipating a girl's day out with her Boss. "Marrying Jane _again_ in a _carney_ wedding?"

Van Pelt's tone clearly asked, "And what's a carney wedding anyway?"

Lisbon wanted to answer, "Hell if I know." but didn't.

The way she saw it, Grace was wondering if they were going to be eating corn dogs and cotton candy and twirling around on those tilting rides. Those were questions she couldn't answer as she honestly didn't know. Jane hadn't told her much if he honestly had anything to tell. Somehow, she had a feeling he was as much in the dark as she was.

"Spill it, Grace." Lisbon said instead eyes sparkling mischievously. "What's the part you can't believe? That I'm willing to marry Jane again or that I'm playing along with this whole demented getting married at the County Fair deal?"

"Both!" Van Pelt answered honestly. "You've got to admit neither seems at all like you. I mean marrying Jane…We all knew there was something between you. We just weren't sure what. Rigsby thought maybe you were hooking up on the sly. Especially when Jane disappeared when you did…But, the rest of this, we didn't see coming."

Grace watched her Boss carry both of their cups over to the coffee maker for a refill.

"We weren't hooking up if that's what anyone thought." Lisbon corrected her. "What you guys saw is all there was. We were friends, we hung out sometimes, he came to my place, and I went to his. We never even kissed. End of story."

"What changed?" Van Pelt asked.

"You know what changed." Lisbon said quietly. "We were shoved together twenty four seven in a dangerous situation with no one to trust but each other. Feelings we'd been denying a long time were bound to come out and they did.

Whatever you're thinking, we didn't just suddenly fall into bed one day. It wasn't like that. We both fought the attraction for a while and we talked about it. We agonized about whether taking the next step was really something we wanted to do and if the price was one we were willing to pay. When I was ready, Jane wasn't. When he was ready, I wasn't. It took a while to finally get on the same page. Our relationship grew out of a lot of years of working together and growing close over time.

In the end, we both knew what we were doing. We both wanted it and we were willing to pay the price."

"Yeah?" Grace's eyebrow rose at her Boss's words.

"Yeah." Lisbon agreed. "Maybe we didn't expect quite the results we got; but, it wasn't a mistake for either of us…None of this...I'm happy with my life. More than I ever expected to be. I think Jane is, too."

"You don't need to think where Jane is concerned. Everyone already knows. If they don't, he's more than happy to tell them." Van Pelt's voice was very soft as she looked into her Boss's eyes. "What you're saying is you fell in love."

"What I'd say is we were already in love long before we ever thought about getting together." Lisbon admitted. "Grace, we all know Jane's quirky as hell but he's a good man. A compassionate, loving man when he wants to be and believe me when I say he wants to be. I couldn't ask for anything better than that."

"That's sweet." Van Pelt ignored Lisbon's eye roll at her predictable reaction. "Even knowing that, we never expected you guys to tie the knot. Jane still had his mission and you never seemed like the marrying type."

"I was pregnant, Grace." Lisbon said as if that explained everything as she sat their cups on the table and resumed her seat. "I was stuck with that man for the rest of my life whether we ever got married or not. You don't think he'd let me get away with one bun in the over much less two?... If you do, then you don't know Jane."

"But that's not why you married him." Van Pelt added sugar and cream to her coffee. "You could have handled an unplanned pregnancy and you could have handled Jane. You didn't have to marry him. It's obvious you wanted to."

"Yeah, I could have." Lisbon admitted though she wasn't so sure it would have worked quite as well as Van Pelt seemed to think with _two_ Baby Janes. "And you're right. I didn't have to marry Jane…I wanted to. There's something about seeing my ring on his finger every morning that puts a smile on my face."

"I'd say he feels the same." Van Pelt took a bite of her cherry pastry deciding she liked Lisbon's version of breakfast much better than Jane's.

Who wanted bran muffins or some such rot when they could stuff their faces with pastries and coffee heavy on the cream and sugar? She'd been hoping for waffles, eggs, and sausage Jane style again. She knew they had a waffle maker hiding somewhere. She'd seen it among the wedding gifts. In fact, they'd used it once or twice when she'd helped out with the kids. There was nothing she liked more than freshly made waffles with real maple syrup. Not when Jane was making them. Oh, and cooking the sausage or bacon.

Oh, well, no biggie.

She and the Boss had made plans to stop by their favorite upscale Mexican Restaurant after the shopping was done and Annie was safely back with her parent. As Tommy didn't have a case, they were meeting up at the Mall around five. Annie had a date with her Dad at a burger joint before hitting the movies to complete their special night.

As for her and Lisbon, they were heading off for a leisurely meal and that single frozen Margarita neither of them ever got to have any more. As Jane was taking care of their offspring tonight, Lisbon wasn't feeding them so she was taking every advantage of her "Get Out of Jail Free" card. That was just the price the Daddy Jane had to pay for talking the Mommy Jane into going along with this farce in the first place.

"That doesn't mean I don't still want to shoot him sometimes." Lisbon admitted as she took a sip of coffee.

"I can see that." Van Pelt laughed at the thought Lisbon had felt that way just yesterday when Jane had changed her greasy take out order to something a little healthier without telling her. "I don't get the other though. The whole second wedding instead of the Vow Renewal you wanted."

"Why not? Jane made me see the error of my ways. It's not costing me anything but time and aggravation." Lisbon asked. "The carneys didn't get to see the first wedding and they should have. Unfortunately, they were halfway across the country and we were here. And while Skype is nice, it's not the same. Besides, Jane's footing the bill for everything. We might as well get what we want and enjoy ourselves while we're at it. It's not like I have to do anything but find the dress. The carneys are taking care of the rest."

"Really?" Van Pelt took a bite of her pastry as the doorbell rang.

"Really." Jane dropped a kiss on Lisbon head in passing as he came out of the kitchen where he'd been stealthily eavesdropping under the guise of making a cup of tea surprising both women with his presence. "I've got the door."

Walking into the foyer, Jane opened the door to reveal a very grown up looking dark haired teenager wearing a junior version of her Aunt's outfit of a brightly patterned red tee shirt, comfortable jeans, and medium heeled black boots.

"Hi, Uncle Patrick, where's Aunt Reese and Van Pelt?" Annie asked as she scrambled through the door. "In the kitchen stuffing their faces?"

"Where else?" Jane asked as he watched the laughing teen head for the dining room. "Go get that cinnamon roll I know Teresa's keeping warm for you while I speak to your Dad. Tell your Aunt I'll be back in a few."

Tommy clearly wanted a few words with him without his sister overhearing. Jane had no doubts it concerned the specifics of the wedding. Or maybe he just wanted to catch up. If he said so, now that he and Lisbon were legally married, he and the Brother's Lisbon had gotten fairly close. They were much closer than his wife approved sometimes after being on the receiving end of some of their jokes. They were also wonderful Uncles to the twins. All in all, Jane decided he'd lucked out there, too. He'd married into a dysfunctional, but still fabulous, family. How could they be anything else with their past?

Besides, point him to an extended family that supposedly wasn't, and he'd gladly prove everyone wrong.

"Hey, Jane, how's it going?" Tommy Lisbon studied his sister's golden haired husband knowing Jane knew precisely what he was doing.

The man looked happy. If he was happy, Lisbon was happy. While they might still have a reservation or two about the charmingly eccentric loon their Big Sis had married, they liked Jane. A lot and they knew there was nothing the man wouldn't do for his wife. Any residual hesitations they had concerning Jane had more to do with the trouble he still occasionally caused her at work and nothing to do with his feelings towards his family. It was clear he doted on their sister and loved both Baby Jane's to distraction.

"You can let the boys know everything's going as well as you think. Lisbon and I are happy as a couple of bedbugs and the rugrats are growing like weeds. You'll see for yourself at the wedding." Jane laughed out loud as Tommy awkwardly stuck his hands in his pockets and kicked a rock at being so thoroughly exposed. "Caught any bad guys lately?"

"One or two." Tommy didn't feel it necessary to say anything more. Lisbon kept pretty good tabs on his career so Jane was already in the know he was sure. "I'm still picking Annie up at the North Entrance around five?"

"Last I heard." Jane said knowing the girls' plans hadn't changed one bit.

"Then I'll see Lisbon then." Tommy said as he opened his car door. "Catch you at the wedding."

"That you will." Jane agreed finding the whole situation amusing.

"Good." Tommy slid into his seat and closed the door.

Watching his brother-in-law pull out of his drive, Jane bet it wouldn't be five minutes before James was on the other end of his cell getting the report all was well with the Jane household. As insulted as he should be about the periodic checkups, he was glad Lisbon's brother's cared enough to risk her wrath if she ever found out what they were up to. Not that he was going to tell her. No way. He liked his brothers-in-law as much as they liked him.

It was just that he was going to lure James into that post-wedding poker game they all knew was coming and take him to the cleaners for his impertinence.

Better yet, he'd probably let Annie's "Aunt Reese" do it instead.

Walking back in the house, Jane wasn't at all surprised to see Lisbon, Van Pelt, and Annie making to go out the door he was trying to walk in.

"Tommy sends his love." Jane said as Lisbon stopped in front of him.

Now that Annie had arrived and scarfed her cinnamon roll, the party was good to go. They could get the show on the road. Giving her husband a G-rated peck on the lips, Lisobn skittered out of reach before Jane could embarass her in front of her neice and led her entourage out the door.

Hearing his offspring making snuffling noises on the baby monitors, Jane let his girls go in favor of making a dash for the kitchen.

While tormenting his wife was good, clean fun, dealing with wailing, hungry Baby Janes was far less so.

#####

Standing outside the upscale Bridal Shop, Lisbon glanced at her niece and Van Pelt. Both were having far more fun with this waste of mental energy than she was. Why shouldn't they be? They'd already found their dresses and the matching shoes. They'd found Annie's crimson dress in the first shop and Van Pelt's equally brilliant gown in the third. They'd found a dress Lisbon really liked in the second and fourth shops as well.

Now, they were here at the fifth shop to see Stinky and Smokey Joe's favorite Silk Mikado ball gown.

They'd already seen everyone else's choices and discounted most of them. Not because they weren't pretty; but, because most of the gowns the guys had picked didn't suit Lisbon's petite frame. They overwhelmed her. In truth the dress she'd liked in the second shop was Johan's suggestion and it was quite an expensive beauty. Surprisingly, contrary to what she and Van Pelt both feared, the gown hadn't overwhelmed her tiny frame. And even better, it truly did have just the right amount of crystal and rhinestone flower beading to appeal to the Amber still lurking deep within her.

The dress in the last shop that she'd liked had been one of her choice. Another ivory silk Mikado gown, it was one shouldered with just enough bling to be interesting without being over the top. It was also very similar to the one Sammie and Pete had chosen. Unfortunately, that gown was very popular and currently out of stock so she'd settled for a close second that was equally as attractive both on and off the hanger.

If the gown she was here to see didn't pan out as she hoped it would, she'd have to decide between the other two. As much as she liked the Mikado, she thought Johan's gown was winning. There was just something about the body skimming cut and the strategically applied bling she found enchanting.

Making that final decision wasn't anything she was looking forward to as both dresses were lovely and quite becoming on her.

Staring at the well-dressed woman wearing an expensive gold toned name tag conveying her name was Lillian, Lisbon reminded herself for the twentieth time that pitching a temper tantrum in the middle of a high end boutique would not reflect well on a Senior Agent at the CBI. She should expect the strange look she was getting as _Lillian_ stared at the rings proclaiming her an already married woman. The next thing that was about to happen is she'd start talking about Vow Renewal Ceremonies and guiding her in the direction of more appropriate attire than full blown wedding gowns.

That so wasn't happening again.

Lisbon already knew what was coming. She'd gone through it four other times today. It was better to just be blunt and cut to the chase from the get-go. Otherwise, this whole dog and pony show would take three times as long as it should.

"I'm getting _married_ again for the second time in a year and it's not a Vow Renewal Ceremony. My friends with the carnival are demanding the real deal complete with dancing elephants, floppy eared bunnies, and pygmy goats as they were half-way across the country the first go around. So, I don't want a Vow Renewal dress. I want a wedding dress and I want to start with that one over there and end with this one when we're done." Lisbon held out the magazine page with Smokey Joe's choice.

"That's a beautiful gown." Lillian said without missing a beat and a look that said the small, dark haired woman standing before her wasn't the first lunatic bride she'd ever dealt with. That look said something else as well. Something Lisbon almost dreaded to hear coming out of the woman's mouth. "You're that Agent with the CBI. The one that got framed for killing that billionaire, disappeared for a few months, and married the psychic you ran off. Oh, and you caught Red John. Agent Lisbon I believe is your name."

Lisbon smirked. She wasn't the only one who could be blunt. She had a feeling she and Lillian were going to get along fine.

"Mentalist, not psychic, Jane assures me there's a difference. Sometimes I'm not so sure. But, yes, that's me." Lisbon admitted ignoring the Red John comment. He was out of their lives for good. While discussing that monster was bad, not having to explain the scars on her body to the much too observant woman wasn't. "Van Pelt, what do you think of the dress hanging over there?" Lisbon pointed to a body hugging, rhinestone encrusted gown with a long, cathedral train hanging on a mannequin.

"I think you should try it on." Van Pelt said liking the cut of the gown though she thought it might overpower Lisbon's petite frame.

"What do you say, Annie?" Lisbon asked.

"Go for it, Aunt Reese." Annie said as she began studying the gowns on display.

"We'll start with that one." Lisbon motioned to the gown before following Lillian in the direction of the dressing rooms entourage in tow.

Six beautiful dresses later, Lisbon was mentally fried. She hadn't worked this hard the first time around and that had been her _real_ wedding. This was a legally unnecessary dog and pony show to make her second family happy. She didn't begrudge the carnies their wedding. She truly didn't.

She just hated all the hoopla going with it.

Even if the only hoopla she had to deal with was buying the dress.

Watching Lillian fasten the dress, Lisbon's eyes perked up.

"This is the dress, Boss." Van Pelt said from behind her. "We'll sweep your hair up in curls and put that antique diamond flower hair pin Jane bought you for your birthday right here." She pointed to a place high on the side of Lisbon's head. "You'll take his breath away. Can't you see it?"

"It is lovely isn't it?" Lisbon couldn't help thinking Jane and Smokey Joe were on to something with this one.

"Really lovely, Aunt Reese." Annie said with awe.

Glancing at her reflection, Lisbon decided she really did feel like a princess and not an angry one. And she didn't want a tiara. She needed to make sure she told Jane that or the fool might actually buy her one. He was forever combing Estate Sales buying lovely pieces of antique jewelry made out of gold and precious stones. He claimed there was something about the finely wrought pieces that suited her delicate frame.

Personally, Lisbon thought he used to do that for Angela. Scour Estate Sales for suitable pieces of jewelry. There was something about his late wife making her think she'd have appreciated such a gesture far more that she did. Not that she didn't like the little gifts "Aislinn" and "Patrick" were fond of leaving lying about. She did. She just wasn't sure how she felt about her husband reliving his past in the present. In the end, she supposed it was mostly harmless.

The jewelry he picked was certainly beautiful and it suited her far better than it ever would have Angela. That in itself said it all. Who really cared if he used to do the same thing for his first wife? Jane was a generous man. She'd known that from the start. Since he'd tried to give her that gorgeous emerald and diamond set she'd so reluctantly given back.

Though no-one knew it, she'd kicked herself in the butt for that one ever since.

Turning back to the gown, Lisbon decided the shifting candlelight of the heavy Mikado silk brought out the ivory tones in her skin and the darkness of her hair. The tightly fitted bodice accentuated the fullness of her breasts and the smallness of her waist before flowing dramatically into a full ball gown skirt with a four foot chapel train. Best of all, it wouldn't need any major alterations from what she could see.

Twirling in front of the three way mirror, Lisbon took in the strapless bodice delicately appliquéd and beaded with silver sequins and crystal beads. The full skirt was daintily beaded and appliquéd in a matching design. The gown was made for her. All she was missing was the glass slippers and diamond tiara. Somehow, she didn't need either.

Nor did she want them.

She wasn't all that sure Cinderella's life had been everything it was cracked up to be.

Hers was a different story. While far from ideal, she couldn't ask for more than she had. Her two precious imps and their mischievous Dad were as close to perfect as she wanted to get. Anything more would be too much.

"We'll take this one." Lisbon said glad the search was finally over. "And we'll take the bra, petticoat, and hosery that go with it."

Lisbon motioned dismissively to the small pile that was going to set Jane back a tidy sum and didn't really care. All that truly mattered was all of this was done. She'd purchased her shoes earlier today selecting a pair that would go nicely with all of the gowns that had caught her eye. If they didn't work, she could always return them unworn.

Noting the time, Lisbon realized they had less than forty-five minutes to purchased the gown and get to the mall to meet Tommy. Annabeth wasn't staying over as they'd planned. She was having a rare father-daughter evening with her Dad instead. Taking her bags from Lilian, Lisbon decided once her niece was safely in her brother's hands, she and Van Pelt could enjoy a couple of hour's peace at the restaurant before she went home to her rowdy family. Somehow, she suspected Jane would be ready to turn the parenting duties over to her the minute she walked in the door.

Or, a more likely scenario, he would be waiting to assist her in getting their duo down for the night so they could spend some quality time together.

They didn't spend that much time apart and she was already beginning to miss him.

#####

Seated in a chair in the middle of Smokey Joe's living room a handful of weeks later, Lisbon forced herself to remain seated when all she wanted to do was pace a hole in the floor. She still couldn't believe she'd allowed Jane and crew to talk her into doing all of this again. She needed her head examined on a lot of different levels. A good place to start was she'd actually enjoyed spending that Saturday with Van Pelt and Annie searching for the perfect wedding gown when everyone knew she was already married.

The next place to look might be that she'd actually enjoyed going over the catering lists with Stinky and Wally all provided at the "Family Discount" by a cousin in the business. Lisbon suspected Jane was footing that bill. Besides that, who knew Stinky and Wally were distantly related? She certainly hadn't. Obviously she was wrong about the Funnel Cakes and fried candy bars as well.

Then there was the fact her team had all volunteered to play the same roles they'd played the first go around including Minelli. Cho hadn't even given one of his patented eye rolls when Jane asked him to reprise his role as the dashing Best Man. Lisbon suspected he'd secretly enjoyed it.

In fact, Lisbon silently admitted to her reflection the one thing she would never tell another living soul. She was as excited now as she had been the first time. There was something about getting married in front of her carney family that made everything fresh and new…Exciting even.

Speaking of her carney family, Sammie and Pete had had Aislinn and Patrick in their care for most of the day. They'd all been having a blast with the bunnies and pygmy goats the last time she'd seen them. As for the rest of the bunch, they were all milling about eagerly anticipating the "Big Moment" to come. That and they were playing with the newest additions to the carney family. Her duo now had more Aunts and Uncles than they'd know what to do with and that wasn't a bad thing! Not when all those new relatives were harmless, lovable loonies traveling the Carney Circuit.

Turning her attention back to Annie and Van Pelt, Lisbon was amazed to realize she was almost ready and she'd been too lost in her thoughts to realize it.

"I can't believe I let Jane talk me into this again." Lisbon watched Van Pelt expertly weave the Edwardian diamond and 14k gold lily hair pin into her intricately arranged locks.

"You make it sound like he had to talk you into it the first time around." Van Pelt said around the bobbie pins in her mouth.

"Maybe he did a little." Lisbon admitted. "Would you just up and marry Jane without giving it some serious thought?"

"You know, yeah, I think I would." Van Pelt said with a dreamy look on her face. "If I loved him like you do."

"You probably would." Lisbon agreed making a scrunch face as Grace twisted yet another curl.

She didn't do updos. Well sometimes she did. But, that didn't mean she didn't hate the darned things or want to be sitting here getting one now.

Not one bit.

Unfortunately, Van Pelt and Annie insisted she have one. They said something about the fancy twists and curls going better with her gown. Whatever. All she cared about was getting all the fuss over soon.

She didn't do dresses either even if they made her look like a fairy tale princess.

She _so_ didn't do dresses. Jane knew that…especially wedding dresses. She'd fully intended that service in their home to be the first, the last, and the only.

But, as usual, someone else had other ideas and guess who won?

Lisbon couldn't help smiling at the thought what else was new?

"You must be thinking about Jane." Van Pelt said quietly as she stepped back to survey her handiwork.

"No, no, I wasn't." Lisbon said. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"The look on your face." Van Pelt admitted. "You only have that smile when you're thinking about Jane."

"Fine." Lisbon relented. "I was thinking about Jane."

"Good thoughts." Van Pelt straightened a wayward curl.

"I was thinking about how he always wins." Lisbon said. "It makes me laugh now."

"I guess he does." Van Pelt agreed. "He's sneaky like that."

"Yeah, he is." Lisbon agreed. "I don't really mind. Not anymore."

"Not now that he's yours." Van Pelt said what her Boss wouldn't. "Not now that you love him as much he loves you."

"Yeah, there is that, too." Lisbon stared at her engagement ring missing the matching wedding band already with Cho for safe keeping.

"You'll have it back where it belongs before you know it." Van Pelt stared at her uncomfortably bare finger.

"I know." Lisbon said. "It just doesn't feel right not having it there."

"You like being married to Jane." Van Pelt studied Lisbon's hair before lifting the hairspray to apply a generous spritz to her curls.

"Yeah, I do. That doesn't mean I don't still want to kill him. But I do like being married to Jane." Lisbon agreed with her own dreamy look. "I like being a mom, too."

"What's not to like?" Van Pelt smiled at the thought of Lisbon and Jane's rugrats. "They're perfectly adorable. Don't ever tell Wayne I said this; but, as cute as Benjamin is, the Baby Jane's are cuter."

"They're trouble like their dad." Lisbon admitted.

"They're brilliant like their dad." Van Pelt corrected. "And their mom."

"I suppose they are." Lisbon agreed. "All that really matters is they're mine."

Lisbon rose to her feet to stare at herself one last time in the mirror. Honest to goodness, she didn't recognize the woman staring back at her. The fancy Victorian Bohemian Garnet necklace, bracelet, and earrings adorning her neck, ears, and wrist were both her something old and something new as Jane had only presented them to her this morning. The ivory lace and blue silk garter encircling her thigh was her something blue and her something borrowed was Van Pelt's grandmother's handkerchief neatly tucked out of sight in one corner of her exotic bouquet of peonies in varying shades of red.

"Look at yourself, Boss." Van Pelt said softly. "You're more beautiful than you were the first time around so Jane must be doing something right."

"Maybe loving me is enough." Lisbon smiled at the thought.

Man did Jane ever love her. Every chance he got. Not that she was about to stop him any time soon. She was enjoying her life much too much.

"Please tell me you aren't riding Daisy down the aisle." Van Pelt said resisting the urge to cry at the sudden errant thought.

As perfect as that would be; it would be so wrong.

"What do you think?" Lisbon laughed at the thought. "Daisy's my flower girl."

"You can't be serious." Van Pelt looked at Lisbon in disbelief.

"Watch and see." Lisbon smirked at her Agent's dumbstruck expression. "My girl's a trained circus animal. Do you seriously doubt she can't sprinkle a few flowers around?"

"You are serious?" Van Pelt asked yet again.

"As serious as I am there's going to be Funnel Cakes and fried candy bars out there." Lisbon darned well knew that was true as she'd already seen the makings. "Trust me. I lived with these guys."

"You are serious." Van Pelt said.

"I am." Lisbon shook her head. "Oh, and Grace, don't let Smokey Joe too close. He likes good looking women. Really likes 'em and he's a charming devil."

Van Pelt rolled her eyes at that totally 'ew' thought.

The guy was good looking enough to be her father's age she supposed. But he was _carney_. As in co-owner, businessman carney; but, still, carney with a checkered past. He was also love-'em-and-leave-'em carney from what the Boss said. So not her type and so never going to happen in a million years…Not that she had anything against carnies…She didn't…She just wasn't into them making passes…Wayne wouldn't be either.

"I'm telling you, Grace. He might be old for you; but, the guy's a real piece of work." Lisbon laughed as she walked out the door knowing Van Pelt had yet to realize she was only half joking.

Rigsby might need to guard his back. She meant what she'd said. Smokey Joe had a way of sneaking up on a girl and breaking through her defenses when she least expected it. She'd seen him action. Grace hadn't.

######

Staring at Daisy's broad rear end ambling in a parody of moving in time to the music, Lisbon couldn't help thinking someone really hadn't thought this thing through. There was just something _wrong_ about the bride staring up an elephant's butt as she walked down the aisle. However, her old friend made an exceptional flower girl and the carnies loved it. Especially the way Daisy was sprinkling her guests with rose petals along the way. Lisbon couldn't help thinking her pachyderm friend probably saw it in a totally different light.

Probably more as some form of malevolent payback for all the apples she never got.

What Daisy didn't know wouldn't hurt her. The carnies obviously felt differently and that was all that mattered. Watching Pete give the elephant and apple as he led her away, Lisbon smiled up at Minelli as he released her to take his seat by his wife. He hadn't tried to talk her out of it this time or patted her hand in commiseration.

Maybe because it was too darned late as she was already married to Jane.

Glancing at Annabeth and the rest of her team, Lisbon felt Jane's steadying hand on her arm. He had to know she was "this" close to losing it. The whole situation was too surreal. They were at the carnival for goodness sakes! Everyone needed to loosen up. Who knew carnies took pretend weddings so seriously. Oops. It might help if she stopped thinking about it as a "pretend" wedding.

There was nothing pretend about it as there was already a piece of paper saying she was Mrs. Patrick Jane come what may and there was nothing she wanted to do about it.

Getting a grip on her runaway nerves, Lisbon turned solemnly towards Smokey Joe trying hard not to laugh at his "Sunday Best" toupee. What could she say? The man looked like what he used to be a lifetime ago…a Baptist preacher. Catching his quick wink, Lisbon smiled back irreverently before donning her serious face once again.

Between the crazy crap going on around her and the petting zoo animals wandering about free, she was getting a much clearer picture of what it meant to have a "carney wedding." She was also deciding she needed a stiff drink and the ceremony hadn't even started. Hearing Smokey Joe start to drone, Lisbon forced herself to listen to his words. It wouldn't do to flub her vows.

It wouldn't do at all.

There were too many people waiting to hear the magic words she was repeating. The words Jane would repeat as well. As silly as a part of her still found this whole charade, she and Jane had had their beautiful forever moment a few months ago in the living room of their new home. The carnies deserved to have theirs. It was the least she could give them for what they'd given her...One of their own.

Repeating their vows with as much devotion as they'd done the first time around, Lisbon was surprised to find herself reduced to tears when Jane finally returned her wedding band to the appropriate finger and she got to do the same. Not having the symbol of their love where it belonged for a few short hours had affected her more deeply than she'd thought. It had almost been a physical pain.

A few moments later, Lisbon returned Jane's kiss with enough gusto to start the cat calls rolling. Blushing profusely in spite of being an old married woman twice over, she decided she was making a break for it as soon as she could get free of their well wishers. There was no way she was spending the rest of the night straight jacketed in her wedding gown. Nor was she running the risk of ruining it. She was high tailing it back to Smokey Joe's place to slip into a tank and a pair of jeans.

Feeling Jane's lips against her cheek she was surprised to hear the whispered words in her ear setting her free. He would run interference while she changed. Just get it done quickly as she would be missed if she was gone too long. Taking him up on his offer, Lisbon pressed her lips to his cheek in thanks before heading in the direction of the familiar RV.

A few minutes later, Lisbon glanced at her reflection yet again pleased to be out of that beautiful, but restricting, dress that was going right where the other one was as soon as possible: in one of those protective boxes in the back of the guest room closet. She felt so much better in her tank top, jeans, and the familiar ankle booties she wore at work. Now, she had places to be and it wasn't staring at herself.

Turning on her heel, Lisbon headed for the door thinking it felt too much like old times. Smokey Joe's new place reminded her too much of the RV she and Jane had sold out of storage not too long ago. While she'd miss her old home and all the memories it sheltered, she had a new home and a new life now.

One she loved even better.

Walking down the steps, Lisbon smirked thinking honest to goodness there was something _weird_ about the man who'd just officiated at their wedding trying to sneak a peek down her shirt a few moments ago when he'd dropped by to let her know the poker game was starting. Jane would so punch Smokey Joe in the nose for that one. On second thought, no, he wouldn't. He'd just be amused by the whole situation. Still, the whole thing still felt weird.

And just like old times.

Granted not as weird as that look on Rigsby's face just now when she'd exited the RV clearly channeling Amber in Hot Mama mode sporting a rhinestone encrusted tank top and skin tight jeans with bling encrusted pockets leaving nothing to the imagination. But, it was still weird enough. What could she say? She was on a roll today.

Well, Smokey Joe was a perv and her guys had never seen so much skin on display.

She _could_ say that.

"Put your eyes back in your head, Wayne, I'm still your Boss." Lisbon said as she passed him heading for that magic poker table under the trees. "I've got a game to win and I'm not above using proven methods to do it."

Watching her stride across the grass, Rigsby could only shake his head and swallow the words in his throat.

"You better get your eyes off the Boss's ass." Cho deadpanned as he took a bite of corndog and a sip ice tea.

"Who knew she could look like that?" Rigsby defended with his eyes still glued where they shouldn't be. "Or that she had a seriously fine ass."

"I did." Cho said as he tossed his empty stick away. "Better not let the Boss or Jane hear you talking like that.

Even though he felt the same, Cho wasn't about to be as stupid as Rigsby and actually verbalize his opinion. Or be so obvious about sneaking a peak at the Boss's assets which were undeniably fine. Lisbon would tear their heads off and feed them to them, and Jane, he didn't want to think about what Jane would do. Make their lives a living hell in ways they'd never considered. The man was much too protective of his family leading to quite a few tolerant eyes rolls on his wife's part.

Watching Rigsby watching Lisbon take her seat between Pete and the Smokey Joe after giving the latter a very pointed look clearly conveying he'd better _so_ behave, Cho shook his head in resignation. He could read every thought flickering across his cohort's face. And hoped Jane couldn't. The man would be so dead.

The other Agent was gobsmacked by the change in their Boss. It was as though he thought Lisbon completely one dimensional after all they'd seen over the years. There was far more to the woman than met the eye. She was so much more than the tightly wound lady cop they saw so often. Rigsby wasn't the brightly bulb in the box for thinking anything else.

If he had any doubts, that she'd married Jane and had his babies should have said it all! Well, she'd done that ass-backwards. Gotten the babies before getting that ring on her finger, but who really cared? Jane had that affect on people. He turned their lives inside out and upside down. Even the Boss hadn't been immune to his charms. And, yeah, he knew both the Boss and Jane would have preferred it the other way around; but, all that really mattered was everything worked out okay in the end.

Catching the eye of a striking red headed carney yet again, Cho decided Rigsby could lie in any kind of bed he chose to make if he kept staring at Lisbon inappropriately. If the Boss and Jane didn't kill him, Van Pelt would. _He_ had better things to do with his time than keep his friend out of trouble. Like catch him a gorgeous red head of his own.

And _she_ was standing right over there holding a huge ginger colored rabbit. Now what had Lisbon called that overstuffed furball? "Punkin" he believed. She was a pumpkin all right and she bit from what he remembered. Well, bunny bite was worth the risk if it meant sidling up to _that _piece of works.

There was something about a leather wearing, Harley Riding woman he found fascinating as the woman he'd brought to the last wedding indicated. Unfortunately, Jane had been right. Katrinka was a barracuda in more ways than one. In the end, they hadn't lasted. She'd been almost as bad a call as Summer.

This chick was different.

He'd gotten the seal of sanity from Jane. Not that that counted for much considering it was Jane giving it. But, in this case, he was going for it. If he was lucky she might let him ride her bike. From the looks Smokey Joe's daughter had been giving him all night, he might get to ride substantially more. From the time he'd spent around her off and on most of the day, Cho could already see himself interested in more than a fling.

There was something special about this woman.

Amanda had brains and beauty. She was tough as nails and soft as silk. She was also a third year medical student at UC Davis School of Medicine. A surprising accomplishment considering she was raised a home schooled carney for most of her life. Then again, maybe it wasn't. The carnies he'd met clearly weren't dumb.

Cho wasn't all that surprised he'd been immediately smitten. There was something _different_ about the woman and he liked different. Smart and different and he was _so _done as the Boss was going to say. Fortunately, Amanda had taken advantage of one of those rare breaks to visit her Daddy while he was in town or he'd have never met her. Seeing the welcoming smile on her face as he politely interrupted, Cho decided he was a lucky man.

As for the dumbstruck Rigsby, he couldn't help it if the mantra "The Boss is seriously hot!" was playing over and over in his head like a broken record. Maybe she always had been and he'd been too intimidated to notice. Or maybe having those babies added just the right amount of extra curve appeal in all the right places. He wasn't sure. Lisbon was as slim as ever; but, there was just a little _something_ about her that was so much _more_.

Maybe it wasn't anything physical.

Just that being so openly desired and thoroughly loved by Jane over the last few months had made her a more confident woman. She'd definitely come out of her shell a lot in so many ways. Even he could see that. She was happier and it was on her face. When Jane was around the reason why was readily apparent. Not that they were anything less than professional at work. They weren't.

Not if you didn't count all those naps, foot rubs, and holding sessions while she was pregnant. But, that was necessary and only behind closed doors. Besides, Lisbon was having a rough enough time of it. She should have been on medical leave and probably would have been had there not been a lunatic waiting to kill her.

Rigsby couldn't hold any of that against them as they'd hadn't had any choice but to do whatever it took to get her through the day. He'd have done the same for Van Pelt. Probably a whole lot more.

Besides, nothing had really changed from before. Jane was still Jane. The Boss was still the Boss and they were still highly combustible. That meant sparks and staplers still flew. The only thing any different was they went home together at night. Well, usually separate, but to the same house. Oh, and if anything, the gossip mill had gotten even raunchier about their imaginary sex life. The fact Lisbon had come back undeniably knocked up with not one, but two, offspring had only added fuel to the fire.

Lisbon was obviously getting tired of all of that.

She'd stumbled on a hen session discussing Jane's more private attributes and his purported skill in using them on the terrace late one afternoon not too long ago. She'd come across it and invited herself into the fray. Before she was done, the Boss had set the record straight and ended any such need for future talks about Jane. Not so surprising under the circumstances Rigsby supposed.

While that so wasn't the Boss, she had kind of been pushed into it. A woman could only take so much trashy talk about her _husband_. Lisbon had been taking it for years. She was bound to crack eventually. Unintentionally eavesdropping on the mostly deserted terrace while he finished his tacos, he'd been shocked to hear the Boss say that while they might be curious, whether the man wore boxers, briefs, or boxer briefs was none of their business. And, as she was never going to get a chance to find out, it might be best if Mary got that fantasy right out of her head.

Oh, and don't be surprised if Jane knocked her up again. It really wasn't all that much of a stretch considering they were every bit as prolific as everyone seemed to think. Oh, and for the record, she wouldn't mind one bit. Jane was as wonderful a father as he was lover and husband. She was a very lucky girl. What they _saw_ was what she _got_. And, yes, although carrying the Baby Janes had been every bit of the bitch it seemed, Aislinn and Patrick were worth every second of the misery and pain.

In case there was any question, Jane thought so too. If they thought she was lying, they could ask him. Not that she seriously though any of them would. She doubted they'd like what he said.

Watching Lisbon turn on her heel to leave the lead gossip mongers with their mouth's hanging open, Rigsby had a feeling his Boss might live to regret those words one day. Not the ones she'd said about Jane and her marriage. All of that seemed perfectly true. It was the one about getting pregnant again. He had a feeling Jane would be more than willing to help her with that.

He'd had that crazy gleam in his eye throughout her pregnancy that anyone could see. He still had it every now and then when he gazed at her now flat stomach. The one any man could read saying he thought his wife was seriously hot with a bun in the oven.

Cho had felt the same. Him, not so much; but, maybe he'd feel differently the next time around.

Rigsby decided he really needed to have Van Pelt head slap him for his thoughts. There must be something in the Kool-Aid. That or he'd gone temporarily insane. Not that he was drinking Kool-Aid…Honestly, whatever…He was done with the crazy thoughts about his Boss.

For now, he was going to walk over to that table, wrap his arm around Van Pelt's waist, and watch the poker game rapidly unfolding befold them.

Wow. The Boss was already whipping tail and taking no prisoners. Even Jane was getting his privates handed to him on an imaginary platter. He'd known Lisbon was good. Knew she played occasionally with those big wig judges and political players. He just hadn't realized how good she really was. He'd bet a month's salary every one of those men seated around that table were cheating including Jane. He might not be able to tell anyone exactly how, but they were, and the Boss was on to them. If she wasn't, she wouldn't be pulling that pile of money her way.

Watching Jane rise to his feet, Rigsby wasn't all that surprised when he excused himself and Lisbon from the next round. Watching them walk in the direction of the rides, he was somewhat surprised the Boss hadn't protested Jane's high handed handling. But she hadn't. Lisbon had allowed herself to be tucked under Jane's arm and led away without the expected peep almost as though she'd expected it to happen.

"He owes her a night at the fair." Smokey Joe supplied as he shuffled the deck. "They closed every night when we were on the road, and as they were on the lam, neither of them thought it wise to mingle that much with the public. Jane promised that girl one night to do anything she wanted from riding the Ferris Wheel to playing games. I think tonight's that night a long time in coming."

"I think you may be right." Rigsby agreed watching them heading across the meadow towards the fair hand in hand before turning his attention back to Van Pelt and the game before him.

"I think you're both wrong." Grace said quietly. "I think tonight's just the first of many a long night in coming."

Watching Jane and Lisbon disappearing into the crowd Rigsby couldn't help thinking Van Pelt was probably right.

#####

A/N: Thank you to all of my readers for sticking with me this long. As much as I wanted to make it more circusy/fair like, doing so felt hokey. This story was about relationships, so I kept it that way. Again, thank you more than I can say for putting up with my Muse's unexpected vacations and the growing lengths between updates. It's greatly appreciated.

This one is done. The completing OS, Ouroborus 2, is done. The story I told a certain dear friend could never be written has been committed to computer screen for the good or the bad. What was meant to be a short 8 or 10 chapter story took on a crazy life of its own. I'm think Im sorry to see it go.

I am off to work on editing a couple of my novels.

However, as most of you have figured out, I can't truly leave. I'll be posting the first chapter of a new story called Darkness into Light in the next three or four days. ~Calla


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